Leaders of the Cherokee Nation took several significant actions to resist removal from their ancestral lands:
- Legal Action: The Cherokee Nation, under Principal Chief John Ross, pursued legal means to protect their lands. In the landmark Supreme Court case Worcester v. Georgia (1832), Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the Cherokee Nation was a distinct community with sovereignty that state laws of Georgia could not override. This decision affirmed that Georgia had no authority over Cherokee territory without their consent
- Political and Legislative Efforts: John Ross and other Cherokee leaders engaged in legislative actions and petitions to protest the Indian Removal Act and the Treaty of New Echota, which was signed by a minority faction without the consent of the majority or the official leadership. Ross continuously worked to overturn the treaty and soften its impact, including efforts to extend the removal deadline and maintain Cherokee control over the removal process
- Refusal to Accept Removal: The majority of the Cherokee Nation, led by Ross, rejected the Treaty of New Echota and refused to leave voluntarily. They rejected government provisions and subsidies tied to removal, viewing acceptance as acquiescence to the treaty terms. This resistance delayed removal efforts and forced the U.S. government to resort to military enforcement
- Organizing the Nation: Despite the pressures, Cherokee leaders tried to organize their people during the removal process to maintain order and dignity. Chief Ross supervised the reluctant removal to try to reduce suffering, although the forced removal was brutal and marked by hardship, known as the Trail of Tears
In summary, Cherokee leaders combined legal battles, political resistance, refusal to comply with removal treaties, and efforts to manage the forced relocation to resist removal as much as possible before the U.S. government enforced it by military means
