Each nation operated by a set of laws and codes approved by the governing body. While maintaining their own tribal governments, six of the seven Anishinabe reservations joined together under provisions of the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act to form the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Tribes have the inherent right to decide who is eligible for tribal membership. Some tribes consider anyone eligible for membership who is a descendent of a tribal member. Further, the courts have said that Congressional power in Indian affairs is limited by the United States Constitution.
All governments receive their power from the people and sometimes from spiritual sources.
This power may be written down in a form of a constitution or it may be handed down orally and traditionally. The mechanism for the destruction of Indian jurisdiction was laid in the United States Constitution, adopted in 1789. The Constitution did not, in itself, take away any Indian authority, but it gave to Congress and the Executive Branch of the federal government the authority which was later used to invade Indian jurisdiction it is important to realize the Constitution does not actually give the federal government any authority to govern Indian people in Indian territory. Indian jurisdiction was, officially at least, carefully respected during this early period, several states, particularly New York and Georgia, repeatedly invaded Indian jurisdiction in spite of treaties and federal laws limiting state jurisdiction. Indian people were commonly arrested and tried by state courts for alleged offenses in Indian territory.