Final answer:
The negotiations between American Indians and colonists in Pennsylvania in the 17th century provided the best model for the principles of the Northwest Ordinance, as they embodied a more equitable approach to expansion and rights compared to the other options.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student asked which of the following processes provided the best model for how the principles expressed in Article III of the Northwest Ordinance could work. Article III of the Northwest Ordinance prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory and laid the groundwork for how this territory would grow and become states, ensuring basic freedoms such as religious freedom, trial by jury, and no slavery.
Among the options provided, (B) The negotiations between American Indians and colonists in Pennsylvania in the 17th century would be the closest model to the principles expressed in Article III of the Northwest Ordinance. Unlike other choices, which mostly represent overt exploitation, forced displacement, or disregard for the indigenous population and rights, the dealings in Pennsylvania often demonstrated a more conciliatory approach towards negotiation and fair treatment, which aligns more with the essence of the Northwest Ordinance's goals of expansion with honor and establishing a framework for the rights of inhabitants in new territories.
Therefore, the focus on negotiation and relatively more equitable treatment, as seen in Option B, best mirrors the intent behind the Northwest Ordinance to create new states where basic rights and freedoms are respected, including the prohibition of slavery.