Question

Delegates from which of the following states were highly invested in the defeat of Luther Martin's proposal to limit or tax the importation of slaves?

Answer 1

Southern states, especially South Carolina and Georgia, were against Luther Martin's proposal as they economically relied on continual slave importation, while Upper South states like Virginia and Maryland favored a ban due to their slave surplus.

Step-by-step explanation:

Delegates from southern states, specifically South Carolina and Georgia, were highly invested in the defeat of Luther Martin's proposal to limit or tax the importation of slaves. These states depended heavily on the continued slave trade for their economic prosperity. They had agreed to what was known as a "dirty compromise" at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which allowed the Atlantic slave trade to continue until at least 1808 in exchange for support from New Englanders on commercial legislation. Additionally, Upper South states such as Virginia and Maryland welcomed a ban on the Atlantic slave trade because they already had a surplus of slaves, which made their opposition to the proposal different from that of the Deep South states.