#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?
(4 points)
1. Worcester v. Georgia was a landmark Supreme Court case that took place in 1832. The case revolved around the issue of the Cherokee Nation's sovereignty and its ability to conduct internal affairs without interference from the state of Georgia. The state of Georgia had passed laws that imposed its jurisdiction over the Cherokee Nation's territory, which went against previous treaties signed between the Cherokee Nation and the federal government.
2. The Supreme Court, in a ruling delivered by Chief Justice John Marshall, found in favor of the Cherokee Nation. The Court held that the Cherokee Nation was a distinct political community with its own laws and rights. It stated that the state of Georgia's laws were unconstitutional and invalid within the Cherokee territories. The Court's decision asserted that only the federal government had the authority to regulate relations with Native American tribes.
3. President Andrew Jackson infamously responded to the Court's decision by disregarding it. He reportedly said, "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it." Jackson was a supporter of Indian removal policies, and he opposed the Court's ruling because it hindered the government's efforts to forcefully remove Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the Southeast.
4. The decision in Worcester v. Georgia had a significant impact on Native Americans. While the Supreme Court had ruled in their favor, Jackson's refusal to enforce the decision ultimately led to the forced removal of thousands of Native Americans, primarily the Cherokee, in what became known as the Trail of Tears. This brutal relocation resulted in the displacement and death of many Native Americans, causing irreparable harm to their communities and cultures. The case highlighted the federal government's willingness to ignore and undermine the rights of Native American tribes for the sake of expanding white settlement and control over land.