Law Commons^™

The Doctrine Of Discovery And The Elusive Definition Of Indian Title, Blake Watson

School of Law Faculty Publications

On April 15, 2011, the Lewis & Clark Law Review hosted its Spring Symposium, entitled “The Future of International Law in Indigenous Affairs: The Doctrine of Discovery, the United Nations, and the Organization of American States.” While the Symposium participants agree that the doctrine of discovery should be rejected, they disagree on the impact of the discovery doctrine on native land rights in the United States. This Article examines the differing views of Indian title. Specifically, it contrasts the “limited owner” view of Indian title, under which Indian tribes retained nearly all of their proprietary rights, subject only to …

The Impact Of The American Doctrine Of Discovery On Native Land Rights In Australia, Canada, And New Zealand, Blake Watson

School of Law Faculty Publications

In Johnson v. McIntosh, John Marshall proclaimed that European discovery of America “gave exclusive title to those who made it . . . .” 21 U.S. 543, 574 (1823). Marshall presented a revised version of the discovery doctrine in Worcester v. Georgia, 31 U.S. 515 (1832), yet it is Johnson that remains the leading decision on native property rights in the United States. The Johnson discovery rule has not only diminished native rights in the United States, but has also influenced the definition of indigenous land rights in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

This Article sheds light on …