In what year was Cherokee Nation v. Georgia decided?

• A. 1832
• B. 1831
• C. 1829
• D. 1830

Answer: (B)

This question tests your recall of when a landmark Supreme Court ruling about tribal sovereignty and court jurisdiction was issued. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia was decided in 1831. In that decision, the Court did not rule on the merits of the Cherokee’s case against Georgia because it said it lacked jurisdiction to hear a suit brought by a Native American nation against a state. The justices described the Cherokee Nation as a domestic dependent nation under federal guardianship, not a foreign nation with standing to sue in federal courts. This framing showed how the legal standing of Indian nations was treated at the time and set the stage for continuing battles over sovereignty and removal policies, including the later Worcester v. Georgia decision in 1832. The key takeaway is the year: 1831.