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Remembering the Time Andrew Jackson Decided to Ignore the Supreme Court In the Name of Georgia’s Right to Cherokee Land

“John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it.” Though President Jackson’s exact words were a bit different, the sentiment remained. Enforcing the ruling meant not only deviating from his own ideology, but alienating a state that shared his core beliefs. So he decided to undermine the system of checks and balances and ignore the ruling. Without the President to enforce the ruling of the Supreme Court, the opinion largely meant nothing. Samuel Worcester remained imprisoned in Milledgeville and the militia of Georgia was free to encroach on Cherokee land.