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Which of the following BEST describes what Andrew Jackson meant when said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it."?

A.He would not support the South's decision to secede
B.He would not stop the hanging of South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun
С.He would not support Marshall's attempts to take American Indian lands
D.He would not act to ensure Georgia respected the decision of the Supreme Court

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Andrew Jackson signified his refusal to enforce a Supreme Court decision in favor of American Indians with the statement, demonstrating his selective approach to federal and state conflicts and underlining his policy on states' rights and majority rule. Option С.He would not support Marshall's attempts to take American Indian lands is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Andrew Jackson said, “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it,” he was expressing his refusal to act on a Supreme Court ruling that was in favor of the American Indians. This statement was a result of the Supreme Court case involving the Cherokee Nation against the state of Georgia, known as Worcester v. Georgia (1832). The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, had ruled that Georgia’s laws requiring the removal of the Cherokee Nation from their lands were unconstitutional. Despite this, President Jackson decided not to enforce the ruling, effectively ignoring the Supreme Court and allowing Georgia to continue with the displacement of the Cherokee people, leading to the tragic Trail of Tears.

This moment in history is a clear demonstration of how Andrew Jackson’s policies and actions were not always aligned with the judiciary or with the protection of minority rights. His presidency was marked by a strong belief in states’ rights and the idea of majority rule. Jackson’s actions also reflected the tensions between federal authority and state sovereignty that became a prominent issue in the Nullification Crisis, where he took a different stance and opposed South Carolina’s attempt to nullify federal tariffs, showing his selective approach to federal intervention.

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