Final answer:
Larger states favored proportional representation as it granted them a greater number of seats in the national legislature, aligning with their larger populations and ensuring more equitable individual representation. They believed this system would create a stronger central government capable of effectively managing national issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The larger states wanted proportional representation because they believed that this system would mean that their larger populations would be more accurately represented in the national legislature. Those states with larger populations argued that they should have a greater number of seats because it was fair that their larger number of residents had equivalently more representation. Proponents of proportional representation, who were mainly from larger states, believed that the national government should have a strong central government, where legislative representation was based on population.
Under proportional representation, states like Virginia and Pennsylvania would receive more representatives in Congress, while smaller states would have fewer. This reflected the principle that all individuals should be equitably represented in government, rather than states having equal representation regardless of size. The push for proportional representation was driven by the idea that a central government with such a system would be stronger and more capable of regulating commerce, maintaining order, and ensuring a healthy economy.