Explain supreme court case Worcester V. Georgia what the case was about
Worcester v. Georgia was a landmark Supreme Court case in U.S. history that dealt with the relationship between the federal government and Native American tribes. The case, formally known as Samuel A. Worcester v. Georgia, was argued before the Supreme Court in 1832 and decided in 1832.
The case arose from the efforts of the state of Georgia to assert its authority over the Cherokee Nation within its boundaries, particularly with regards to their rights to self-governance and territorial boundaries. Georgia had enacted laws that prohibited white people from living in Cherokee territory without a license, intruding on the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation.
Samuel A. Worcester, a non-Native American missionary, was working among the Cherokee people and refused to obtain a permit as required by Georgia law. Worcester was subsequently arrested and convicted under this law. He challenged his conviction, arguing that the state of Georgia did not have the constitutional authority to pass laws that affected the Cherokee Nation.
The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, took up the case to determine whether Georgia law could extend into Cherokee territory, and whether the Cherokee Nation had the right to self-governance as a separate sovereign entity.
In its decision, the Supreme Court held that the Cherokee Nation was a sovereign nation in the eyes of American law, and as such, Georgia's laws could not be enforced over their territory. The Court upheld the sanctity of the Cherokee Nation's treaty rights and their authority to govern themselves independently.
Chief Justice Marshall's ruling in Worcester v. Georgia made it clear that, in the eyes of the federal government, Native American tribes had a unique relationship with the United States and were separate, dependent nations – a relationship often described as "domestic dependent nations." Therefore, their sovereign rights were to be respected and treated accordingly.
Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, Georgia and President Andrew Jackson refused to enforce the Court's decision. Jackson reportedly said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." This case ultimately led to the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation from their ancestral lands to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in the infamous Trail of Tears.