Question

read the excerpt from
ebuilding the cherokee nation.\
the cherokee nation has had a government for a long, long time. we had a government in this country long before there was a united states government. we had treaties with england even before we had treaties with the colonies, and then later with the united states.
courtesy of the wilma mankiller trust
which statement best paraphrases the excerpt?
wilma mankiller says that the cherokee nation had treaties with england even before it had treaties with the colonies and the united states government.
wilma mankiller reminds people that the cherokee nation had its own government that signed treaties with other nations before the united states existed.
wilma mankiller suggests that a nation must have signed treaties in order to be able to govern itself and be recognized by others, which the cherokee nation did.
the cherokee nation has a government that is older than the government of the united states, and was involved in treaties with another country before having treaties with the us.

Explanation:

1. Eliminate the first option: It incorrectly states the Cherokee had treaties with England before the colonies, but the excerpt says they had treaties with England before treaties with the colonies, then later with the US.
2. Eliminate the second option: The excerpt does not frame this as a "reminder," and it oversimplifies the treaty timeline (the Cherokee also had treaties with the colonies after England, before the US).
3. Eliminate the third option: The excerpt does not argue that treaties are a requirement for self-governance or recognition; it only states facts about the Cherokee's government and treaty history.
4. Confirm the fourth option: It accurately restates the core points: the Cherokee government predates the US government, and they had treaties with England first, then the colonies, then the US (summarized as "involved in treaties with another country before having treaties with the US").

Answer:

D. The Cherokee Nation has a government that is older than the government of the United States, and was involved in treaties with another country before having treaties with the US.