The New Jersey Plan was a proposal presented at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It aimed to create a unicameral legislature where each state would have equal representation, regardless of its population size. This plan was designed to protect the interests of smaller states against larger ones, ensuring that all states had a voice in the federal government. The plan was introduced by William Paterson as a response to the Virginia Plan, which favored representation based on population. Ultimately, the New Jersey Plan contributed to the discussions that led to the Great Compromise, establishing a bicameral legislature with both equal and population-based representation.