Which of the following BEST describes the federal government's attitude toward American Indians and western expansion? (1 point) Responses The federal government believed that it had the right to determine where American Indians lived and to regulate their way of life. The federal government believed that it had the right to determine where American Indians lived and to regulate their way of life. The federal government believed that it was important to take American Indian interests into consideration when determining which territory to give them. The federal government believed that it was important to take American Indian interests into consideration when determining which territory to give them. The federal government believed that American Indians were unable to determine for themselves the best places for their tribes to live. The federal government believed that American Indians were unable to determine for themselves the best places for their tribes to live. The federal government believed that by moving American Indians to locations in the west, they were protecting them from further interactions with whites.

The federal government believed that it had the right to determine where American Indians lived and to regulate their way of life.

The federal government believed that it had the right to determine where American Indians lived and to regulate their way of life.

The best answer to this question would be the first option: "The federal government believed that it had the right to determine where American Indians lived and to regulate their way of life."

To arrive at this answer, we should consider the historical context of American Indian relations with the federal government during western expansion. One pivotal moment that reflects this attitude is the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This legislation, signed into law by President Andrew Jackson, encouraged the removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the eastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi River, known as Indian Territory. This act demonstrated the federal government's belief that it had the authority to determine where American Indians could live.

Furthermore, the federal government implemented policies and practices that aimed to assimilate Native American tribes into white American society. This included the establishment of reservations where American Indians were expected to live and conform to certain regulations set by the government.

Considering all these historical factors, it becomes clear that the federal government believed it had the right to determine American Indians' living arrangements and regulate their way of life.