#7 ESSAY QUESTION
Students must answer all four parts to receive full credit.
1. Explain Supreme Court case Worcester v. Georgia, what was the case about?
2. What was the outcome of their decision?
3. How did Jackson respond to the decision?
4. What was the effect on the Native Americans?
1. The case Worcester v. Georgia, which took place in 1832, involved the conflict between the state of Georgia and the Cherokee Nation. The case revolved around the issue of Georgia's attempt to impose its jurisdiction over Cherokee lands and the rights of the Cherokee Nation as a sovereign entity.
2. The outcome of the Supreme Court's decision in Worcester v. Georgia was in favor of the Cherokee Nation. Chief Justice John Marshall, in the majority opinion, declared that the Cherokee Nation was a "distinct community" with self-governing powers and entitled to federal protection. He argued that Georgia's laws could not be applied to the Cherokee territory without the consent of the Cherokee Nation. This ruling established that Native American tribes were considered distinct political entities under the United States' laws.
3. President Andrew Jackson responded to the Supreme Court's decision by openly defying it. Although he was constitutionally obligated to uphold and enforce the Court's decisions, he famously said, "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it." Jackson was a fervent advocate of westward expansion and believed in the idea of Indian removal. He opposed the Court's ruling and supported Georgia's efforts to assert its jurisdiction over Cherokee lands.
4. The effect of the Worcester v. Georgia case on Native Americans was ultimately detrimental. Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, the federal government, under Jackson's administration, failed to enforce the Court's decision and protect the rights of the Cherokee Nation. The subsequent events led to the forcible removal of tens of thousands of Native Americans from their ancestral lands, known as the Trail of Tears. This displacement resulted in immense hardship, suffering, and death for many Native American tribes, including the Cherokee Nation. The case highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by Native Americans in their fight for recognition, sovereignty, and protection under the law.