Question

How did president Jackson respond to the ruling in Worcester v. Georgia?

Answer 1

Andrew Jackson declined to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision, thus allowing states to enact further legislation damaging the to the tribes.

Answer 2

In the Worcester v. Georgia case (1832), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the states did not have the right to impose regulations on Native American land because they have certain sovereignty within the nation, and therefore the Georgia act that forced the Cherokee Nation to leave their land located in Georgia (The Indian Removal Act) was unconstitutional.

However, this decision was never enforced because President Jackson decided to ignore it. Instead, he sent federal troops to take over the Cherokee Nation's land and to force the removal of the Native Americans, and the Supreme Court did not do anything about it in order to avoid a political conflict between the Judicial and the Executive branch.