George Washington (first U.S. President) and Henry Knox (first U.S. Secretary of War) proposed the cultural transformation of Native Americans. Washington believed that Native Americans were equals of white people, but that their society was not as good. He came up with a policy to "civilize" them, and Thomas Jefferson continued it. Washington's plan included impartial justice toward Indians; regulated buying of Indian lands; promotion of experiments to civilize or improve Indian society; and punishing those who violated Indian rights.