Iirc, the least populous states in the union were about 7% (~1.5% of the national population) the population of the most populous (Virginia). Within 30 years of the constitution's ratification, Indiana was granted statehood with a population equivalent to .8% of the national population.
It's a far cry from Wyoming being ~1% the population of California (~.17% of the US pop), but I think they and the first few generations of american politicians were reasonably aware of the potential spread.
I didn't have a good offhand feel for how the ratio of large to small state populations has changed, so for whatever it's worth, the ratio between the largest and smallest state at various times:
It's a far cry from Wyoming being ~1% the population of California (~.17% of the US pop), but I think they and the first few generations of american politicians were reasonably aware of the potential spread.