Which individual strongly defended the power of the states and supported the New Jersey Plan, ultimately leaving the Constitutional Convention?

• A. Luther Martin
• B. James Otis
• C. Samuel Seabury
• D. John Adams

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is the fight over who should hold power in the new government: the states themselves or a stronger central national government. Luther Martin, a Maryland delegate, stood out for arguing that states must retain substantial authority and protections against centralized overreach. He supported the New Jersey Plan, which proposed equal representation for each state in a unicameral Congress, tightening the emphasis on state sovereignty rather than a powerful national legislature.

As the Convention pressed toward a framework that would strengthen the national government, Martin’s position put him at odds with plans that concentrated more power at the center. He ultimately chose to leave the proceedings rather than sign a Constitution that he believed would erode state powers. His stance exemplifies how fears about losing state control shaped early constitutional debates and helped push for compromises that balanced state and national interests.

Other figures mentioned were not participants who defended the New Jersey Plan at the Convention or did not remain involved in the process; for example, John Adams was abroad and not at the convention, and James Otis and Samuel Seabury were not delegates who defended this plan within the convention context.