1. Explain Supreme Court case Worcester v. Georgia, what was the case about?

Question

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?

In a few sentences

Answer 1

1. Worcester v. Georgia (1832) was a Supreme Court case concerning the rights of the Cherokee Nation and the authority of the state of Georgia. The case arose when Samuel Worcester, a missionary, was arrested for residing on Cherokee land without a state permit, which led to legal arguments about state vs. federal authority and the sovereignty of Native American tribes.

2. The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, ruled that the Cherokee Nation was a distinct community with self-governing rights, and that Georgia's laws had no force within its territory. This decision affirmed the sovereignty of Native American tribes and invalidated Georgia's attempts to extend its laws over Cherokee lands.

3. President Andrew Jackson reportedly responded to the decision with defiance, allegedly stating, "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it." Jackson's administration largely ignored the ruling, opting to continue the policy of Indian removal.

4. The effect on Native Americans was catastrophic. Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, the federal government, under Jackson's administration, proceeded with the forced relocation of the Cherokee and other tribes, culminating in the Trail of Tears, which resulted in the suffering and death of thousands of Native Americans during their forced march to designated Indian Territory.