Why did smaller states reject the Virginia Plan?

Smaller states rejected the Virginia Plan primarily because they preferred equal representation in Congress. The Virginia Plan proposed representation based on population, which would benefit larger states with more inhabitants. Smaller states were concerned that this would diminish their influence in the legislative process, leading to decisions that favored the interests of the more populous states at their expense. In contrast, they advocated for a system where each state would have an equal voice regardless of size, which was reflected in their support for later proposals, such as the New Jersey Plan. This desire for equal representation was vital in shaping the structure of the U.S. Congress, ultimately leading to the Great Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature with both proportional and equal representation.