Indian Intercourse Act The Indian Intercourse Acts were several acts passed by the United States Congress regulating commerce between American Indians and non-Indians and restricting travel by non-Indians onto Indian land . The first of these acts , An Act to Regulate Trade and Intercourse With the Indian Tribes , was passed July 22 1790 . The acts generally expired and were renewed every two years until March 30 1802 , when a permanent act was passed . On June 30 1834 , Congress passed the final Indian Intercourse Act . In addition to regulating relations between Indians living on Indian land and non-Indians , this final act identified an area known as `` Indian country '' . This land was described as being `` …all that part of the United States west of the Mississippi and not within the states of Missouri and Louisiana , or the territory of Arkansas… '' This is the land that became known as Indian Territory .  This article relating to the history of the United States is a stub . You can help Wikipedia by expanding it . Categories : United States history stubs | Native American law | Legal history of the United States In other languages : Español 