Final answer:
General Anthony Wayne's victory in the Northwest Indian War led to the Treaty of Greenville, stripping Native Americans of their land and sovereignty in Ohio. This event marked the beginning of a series of oppressive policies, aiming to assimilate Native American tribes into American culture. Over time, however, movements arose to protect Native American rights, leading to some legislation for their benefit.
Step-by-step explanation:
Washington's Native American Policy and Its Consequences
After the War of Independence, American settlers moved into Native American lands with official backing from the newly formed United States government. General Anthony Wayne led American forces to victory against a confederation of Native American tribes in the Northwest Indian War. This victory resulted in the Treaty of Greenville (1795), which disregarded Native American sovereignty and forced the tribes to cede large territories, specifically in Ohio. The aftermath of this defeat and others led to policies and treaties that aimed to displace, assimilate, and manage Native Americans; these included removing Natives from their traditional lands, restricting their religions, and reshaping their cultures to reflect American societal norms. Tribes resisted but faced the overwhelming force of American expansion and law.
Over the years, the US government's Indian policies put emphasis on civilizing the tribes, which stripped them of their traditional ways and made them dependent on American resources. Treaties signed with Native Americans were often marked by contention and considered illegitimate by many of the affected tribes. Despite the long history of these oppressive policies, there were movements for protecting Native American rights, and laws were eventually passed that acknowledged and granted rights to Native Americans, although this did little to compensate for the generations of struggle and cultural loss.