Final answer:
The treatment of American Indians during President George Washington's administration can be best described as inconsistent, with policies and actions betraying the idealistic language of fair dealings and respect promised in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.
Step-by-step explanation:
Despite the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 expressing the intent for fair relations and dealings with Native Americans, the policies related to the treatment of American Indians during President George Washington's administration were inconsistent.
This inconsistency is demonstrated by the fact that although there were provisions and acts put in place that suggested a desire for 'expansion with honor,' in reality, the new government often negated these ideals through practices such as the establishment of towns and cities on previously extinguished Indian lands as well as through the subsequent treaties and the Indian Intercourse Acts.
These acts allowed the U.S. to assert their claim to lands east of the Mississippi River, often at the expense of Native American interests. Ultimately, while the language of the Northwest Ordinance seemed to promise a respectful and fair approach, actions taken during this time period did not always align with those promises.
The Washington administration's treatment of Native Americans was thus marked by a disconnect between proclaimed policies of justice and humanity and the actual practices, which included forced relinquishments of land following military engagements, like the Battle of Fallen Timbers and the subsequent Treaty of Greenville.