Who was the defendant in the case of Worcester v. Georgia?

In the landmark Supreme Court case Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the defendant was indeed the State of Georgia. This case arose when a missionary, Samuel Worcester, was convicted under a Georgia law that prohibited non-Native Americans from being present on Native American lands without a special license. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the state laws had no force within the boundaries of Native American territories, affirming that the federal government had exclusive authority in dealing with Native American nations.

The decision highlighted the sovereignty of Native American tribes and set a significant legal precedent in terms of federal versus state authority, indicating that states could not impose their laws on Native American lands. This ruling was significant in the context of U.S. history regarding Native American relations and legal matters.

The other options pertain to individuals and entities that were either involved in different roles or were impacted by the ruling rather than being the defendant. For instance, Andrew Jackson, while being a notable figure during this era, was not part of the legal proceedings as a defendant in this case.