Northwest Territory
• One of the most important accomplishments under the Articles of Confederation
• Planned to sell land to raise revenue• By 1784, a plethora of individuals moved
westward – Caused problems with Native Americans – Federal leaders could not afford to fight wars;
decided to regulate settlement
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE of 1787
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE
I. CONFEDERATION: a group of loosely joined, but sovereign states.
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE
A. Problem: Many states made claims to the western lands (Northwest Territory).
Boundaries of the Northwest Territory: Great Lakes (north), Pennsylvania (east), Ohio River (south), Mississippi River (west)
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE
B. Solution to the Problem: All states agreed to cede (give) their claims to Congress, so Congress can sell the land for the good of the country (confederation).
NATIONAL DOMAIN – Public land
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE
II. LAND ORDINANCE of 1785: Congress’s plan to sell the land of the Northwest Territory.
A. Rectangular Survey System – carefully surveyed the land into squares to be sold.
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE
1. Township – the largest division of land. It is thirty-six square miles.
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE
2. Section – 36 sections in a township. It is one square mile or 640 acres.
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE
3. Acre – the smallest division of land. It sold for $1 per acre.
The average size farm was 40 acres. So, it sold for $40.
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE
B. Education – the sale from one section of each township goes to start a school for that township.
How much went for education?Answer: $640
III. THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE of 1787 this document establishes…
the principles and procedures for the orderly expansion of the United States.
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE of 1787
A. Statehood:1. When the population reaches 5,000 adult
males the area can: a. Establish an elected assemblyb. Governor still had absolute veto
power
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE of 1787
2. When the population reaches 60,000 adult males the area can:
a. can write a state constitution and apply for statehood.
b. If Congress approves the state Constitution that area will become a state.
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE of 1787
Five states:
Indiana (1816)Ohio (1803)
Illinois (1818)Michigan (1837)Wisconsin (1848)
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE of 1787
Rights Guaranteed:1. Trial by jury2. Public education3. Freedom of religion4. Prohibition of slavery