Land Ordinance of 1784 facts for kids

The Ordinance of 1784 was a plan made on April 23, 1784. It suggested how new land in the United States of America should be divided. This land was west of the Appalachian Mountains, north of the Ohio River, and east of the Mississippi River. The plan was to turn this land into separate states.

How the Ordinance Was Adopted

The Congress of the Confederation adopted this plan. This was the government of the United States at the time, operating under the Articles of Confederation.

Thomas Jefferson was the main person who wrote the plan. His first version of the ordinance had five important ideas:

• The new states would always be part of the United States.
• They would have the same relationship with the government as the original states.
• They would help pay the country's debts.
• Their governments would be based on republican ideas (where citizens elect leaders).
• After the year 1800, there would be no slavery or forced labor in any of these new states.

Jefferson's map for the plan even showed two states being created from land given by Virginia. This land was on its western side, south of the Ohio River, in what is now Kentucky.

Stopping the Spread of Slavery

In the late 1700s, slavery was common in many parts of North America. Jefferson wanted the Ordinance of 1784 to draw a clear line across the country. This line would stop slavery from spreading further west.

On the ninth anniversary of the battles at Concord and Lexington, a representative named Richard Dobbs Spaight from North Carolina tried to remove the part about stopping slavery. He was supported by Jacob Read from South Carolina. To keep Jefferson's rule about slavery, seven states needed to vote for it.

Jefferson wrote a letter to James Madison on April 25, 1784. He explained that the rule about slavery was lost by just one vote. Ten states were present. The four eastern states, New York, and Pennsylvania voted for the rule. New Jersey would have voted for it too, but only two of their members were there, and one was sick. South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia voted against it. North Carolina's vote was split.

Even though many people wanted to stop slavery, the rule was not approved. Jefferson was very upset about this for the rest of his life. He and George Wythe had even tried to create a plan for gradual emancipation (slowly ending slavery) in Virginia. When Virginia's lawmakers refused in 1785, Jefferson hoped that a higher power would help free enslaved people. In 1786, he said that just one person's vote could have prevented this "abominable crime." He believed that those who supported human rights would eventually win.

The Ordinance of 1784 passed without the rule against slavery. It was in effect for three years. Later, it was added to by the Land Ordinance of 1785. Then, it was replaced by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. This new ordinance was very important. It protected civil liberties (freedoms) and public education in the new territories north and west of the Ohio River. Most importantly, it banned slavery in those areas. This was the first time the U.S. government officially stopped the spread of slavery.

Jefferson's Thoughts on the Ordinance

Later in his life, Jefferson often talked about his hopes for the Ordinance of 1784. Just 45 days before he died, he wrote about it. He said that his feelings had been known for forty years. Even if he didn't live to see his ideas fully happen, he believed they would not die with him. He said that whether he lived or died, his prayer for these ideas would always be strong.