What did Worcester v. Georgia establish regarding Native American sovereignty?

• A. It confirmed federal authority to regulate all tribal lands.
• B. It forced Cherokee removal.
• C. It allowed states to govern tribal lands within state borders.
• D. It recognized Cherokee sovereignty in their own territories.

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that Native nations are recognized as distinct political communities with their own governance. Worcester v. Georgia established that the Cherokee Nation has sovereignty within its own boundaries, meaning state laws and authorities cannot intrude on Cherokee lands or govern the Cherokee people there. The federal government, not the states, handles relations with tribes, and treaties with tribes are the basis for their status. This is why the decision supports Cherokee sovereignty in their own territories.

That’s why the other options don’t fit: the ruling did not say the federal government can regulate all tribal lands regardless of context, and it certainly didn’t authorize state control over tribal lands within state borders. It also did not order the forced removal of the Cherokee; removal policies came from later actions, not this decision.