11. When the United States Supreme Court ruled on Worcester v. Georgia in 1832, which role of a judiciary was it fulfilling?

determining the difference between a criminal and civil trial

determining the proper selection process for judges

interpreting and determining the application of Georgia's laws to its people

emphasizing the proper steps in the judicial process

12. Which duty is NOT a power of the Georgia General Assembly?

Question 12 options:

represent the people of Georgia

oversee the executive branch

authorize, or appropriate state spending

elect the governor every four years

Answer to #11:

interpreting and determining the application of Georgia's laws to its people.

Answer to #12:

elect the governor every four years.

Explanation/history for #11:

The 1832 case, Worcester v. Georgia, ruled unconstitutional a Georgia law requiring non-Native Americans requiring a license from the state to be on Native American land. In responding to the case, the Supreme Court asserted that the federal government is the sole authority to deal with a Native American nation. From this Supreme Court assertion came the beginnings of tribal sovereignty within the United States for Native American nations - - that the US government would deal with them as domestic nations inside the United States.

The court case was named after Samuel Worcester, a Christian minister working among the Cherokee who was supportive of the Cherokee cause. To block the activity of a man like Rev. Worcester, the state of Georgia passed a law prohibiting white persons to live within the Cherokee Nation territory without permission from the Georgia state government. Worcester and other missionaries challenged this law, and the case rose to the level of a Supreme Court decision. The decision by the Supreme Court, written by Chief Justice Marshall, struck down the Georgia law and reprimanded Georgia for interfering in the affairs of the Cherokee Nation. Marshall wrote that Indian nations are "distinct, independent political communities retaining their original natural rights."

Notes on #12:

The governor of Georgia is elected by a vote of the state's voters every four years, and is limited to two consecutive terms.

The 2018 gubernatorial election (the election of the governor) in Georgia made significant national news. Republican Brian Kemp narrowly defeated Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams. There was much controversy because Kemp had been the state's Secretary of State, thus in charge of the election in which he was participating. There were also allegations of decisions and actions by Kemp as Secretary of State that had shown a pattern of discriminating against black citizens in the voter registration process.