John Marshall

Supreme Court Rules Georgia Cannot Seize Cherokee Lands; Jackson Refuses to Enforce Decision

1832-03-03 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 9/10

The U.S. Supreme Court rules 5-1 in Worcester v. Georgia that states lack authority to impose regulations on Native American lands, with Chief Justice John Marshall writing that Indian nations are “distinct, independent political communities retaining their original natural rights” and …

John Marshall Andrew Jackson Samuel Worcester Cherokee Nation Georgia +1 more judicial-nullification executive-overreach indian-removal constitutional-crisis rule-of-law +2 more

XYZ Affair Exposes French Diplomatic Bribery Demands and Triggers Quasi-War

1797-10-18 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 7/10

American diplomatic envoys Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry arrive in Paris for peace negotiations but are approached by three French agents (later designated X, Y, and Z in diplomatic correspondence) who demand a $250,000 bribe to Foreign Minister Talleyrand and a $10 …

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord Charles Cotesworth Pinckney John Marshall Elbridge Gerry President John Adams diplomatic-corruption foreign-influence bribery political-manipulation