The policy of the US government toward the Indians in the period immediately prior to the Civil war was to?

Prior to the Civil War, the U.S. government pursued a policy of forced removal and relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, primarily through acts like the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This policy aimed to open up land for white settlers and agriculture, often leading to significant suffering and displacement of Native populations, exemplified by events such as the Trail of Tears. Additionally, treaties were frequently made and broken, further marginalizing Native Americans and undermining their sovereignty. Overall, the government's approach reflected a broader agenda of westward expansion and assimilation.