Why did some people want all states to have the same number of votes in the federal legislature? What did they fea
Each state was proud and felt independent. These people saw the U.S. as a federation of states, not a federation of individual citizens.
The idea of having all states represented equally in the federal legislature, meaning each state would have the same number of votes, was a concept known as equal representation. The primary reason why some people wanted this was to ensure that smaller states had an equal say in the decision-making process of the federal government. They feared that without equal representation, larger states would dominate the legislative process and smaller states would be marginalized.
There were a few concerns that drove this fear. One of the main concerns was the potential tyranny of the majority. In a system where representation was based solely on population, larger states with denser populations would have a disproportionate amount of influence. This could lead to decisions being made that primarily benefited the larger states, neglecting the interests of smaller states.
Another concern was the potential for regional biases and conflicts. Smaller states, especially those with unique geographical, economic, or cultural characteristics, worried that their specific needs and concerns would be ignored in favor of issues that were more relevant to the larger states. Equal representation would ensure that each state had an equal voice, regardless of their size or population.
In summary, those advocating for equal representation wanted to prevent larger states from monopolizing power and ensure that smaller states had equal standing in the federal government. They feared the potential tyranny of the majority and the neglect of smaller states' interests in a population-based representation system.