Indian Trade and Intercourse Act

One of the initial acts passed by the first U.S. Congress was the Indian Trade and Intercourse Act of 1790. Passed on July 22, 1790, this was the first law to regulate trade between Native Americans and colonists. Congress proclaimed its treaty-making policy and mandated that all interactions between Indians and non-Indians were under federal control. During this time, federal officials favored efforts to "civilize" tribal nations, a sentiment that would later influence Indian removal.