Samuel A. Worcester was a key figure in the legal struggles between the state of Georgia and the Cherokee Nation in the early 1830s. He was a missionary and a staunch advocate for the rights of Native Americans. Worcester moved to the Cherokee Nation to assist the Cherokee people and promote their rights, particularly in resisting the encroachment of white settlers on their lands.
Involvement in the Case: Worcester became involved specifically in the case of Worcester v. Georgia (1832), which arose after he was arrested for residing in the Cherokee Nation without a state permit. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the state of Georgia had no authority over Cherokee lands and that the federal government had a duty to protect the rights of Native American tribes. This ruling affirmed the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation, although it was largely ignored by the state of Georgia and President Andrew Jackson.
Beliefs About Land and the Cherokee: Worcester believed strongly in the rights of the Cherokee people, viewing the land being taken away from them as a violation of their rights and sovereignty. He argued that Native American nations had their own governance and should not be forcibly removed or subjected to the dictates of state governments. He advocated for the protection of Native American lands as being inherent to their identity and culture, emphasizing the immorality of displacement and the importance of respecting treaties made between the federal government and Indigenous nations. Overall, Worcester saw the removal of the Cherokee as an injustice that stemmed from greed and racial prejudice.