Northwest Ordinance facts for kids
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The Northwest Ordinance, also known as the Ordinance of 1787, was an important law passed by the Congress of the Confederation on July 13, 1787. This law created the Northwest Territory, which was the first organized territory of the United States. It was located between British North America and the Great Lakes to the north, the Ohio River to the south, and the upper Mississippi River to the west. Pennsylvania formed its eastern border.
After the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783, Great Britain gave this land to the United States. However, the new U.S. government faced challenges. American settlers were moving into the Ohio Valley, and Native American groups in the region had concerns about their lands. There were also British outposts still present, and the U.S. government had little money. The Northwest Ordinance helped set up a plan for how this new land would be settled and governed. It was later updated slightly and renewed in 1789 by the First Congress.
This law was very important because it showed how the U.S. federal government would grow westward by adding new states, rather than by expanding existing ones. It also set rules for how public lands would be managed. The U.S. Supreme Court later confirmed the law's authority within the Northwest Territory. The Ordinance also made the Ohio River a key boundary between areas where slavery was allowed and where it was not, which became a significant issue in the 1800s.
The Northwest Ordinance: Shaping America's Future
What Was This Law About?
The Northwest Ordinance was a special law from 1787. It helped the young United States decide how to manage its new lands. These lands were west of the Appalachian Mountains and north of the Ohio River. This area became known as the Northwest Territory. The law was a blueprint for how new areas could become part of the country as states.
Why Was This Law Needed?
After winning the American Revolutionary War, the United States gained a vast amount of land. This land, once controlled by France and then Great Britain, was now American. However, several existing states, like Massachusetts and Virginia, had their own claims to parts of this territory. This caused confusion and disagreements.
In 1784, Thomas Jefferson suggested a plan to divide these western lands into new states. His idea was to create a fair way for the country to grow. The 1787 Ordinance built on these ideas. It aimed to create an organized system for surveying land, selling it to settlers, and forming new governments. This would help the federal government earn money and ensure orderly settlement.
How New States Were Formed
One of the most important parts of the Northwest Ordinance was its plan for creating new states. It said that at least three, but no more than five, states would be formed from the territory. Once a part of the territory had 60,000 free residents, it could become a state. These new states would join the United States with the same rights as the original thirteen states.
The first state created from this territory was Ohio in 1803. The remaining land was then called the Indiana Territory. Later, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin also became states from this region. A small part of what is now Minnesota was also included.
Rules for the Territory
Land Ownership and Rights
The Ordinance introduced the idea of "fee simple" land ownership. This meant people could own land completely and forever, with the freedom to sell or give it away. This was a new and important guarantee of property rights in the United States. The law also made sure that important waterways, like the Mississippi River and St. Lawrence River, would always be free for travel and trade.
Encouraging Education
The 1787 ordinance strongly supported education. It stated that "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." This built on an earlier law from 1785, which set aside land in each township to help fund public schools. This shows how important education was considered for the new territories.
Governing the Territory
The Ordinance set up a temporary government for the territory. At first, when there were fewer than 5,000 free men, a governor, a secretary, and three judges, all chosen by Congress, would lead. The governor managed the militia and laws. The secretary kept records. The judges helped make laws and court decisions.
Once 5,000 free men lived in the territory, they could elect representatives. These representatives would form a local assembly. To be a representative, a man needed to be a U.S. citizen for three years or live in the district for three years and own at least 200 acres of land. This system allowed the people in the territory to have a say in their own government.
The Ordinance also protected many basic rights for settlers. These included freedom of religion, the right to a jury trial, and protection against unfair punishments. These ideas were similar to those later included in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution.
The Ban on Slavery
One of the most significant parts of the Northwest Ordinance was its ban on slavery in the territory. Article 6 clearly stated: "There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory." This meant that people could not be forced to work without pay, except as punishment for a crime. However, it also included a rule that if a person who was enslaved escaped into the territory, they could be returned to their owner in one of the original states.
This ban on slavery helped establish the Ohio River as a dividing line between states where slavery was allowed and states where it was not. This issue became a major point of discussion and conflict in the United States during the 1800s, leading up to the American Civil War. The Thirteenth Amendment, which outlawed slavery across the entire United States in 1865, used similar wording to the Northwest Ordinance.
Relations with Native Americans
The Ordinance also addressed the Native American communities living in the region. It stated that "The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent." It also said that laws based on justice and kindness should be made to prevent harm to them and to keep peace.
Despite these words, there were many conflicts over land. Some Native American groups did not agree with treaties that gave their lands to the United States. Leaders like Blue Jacket of the Shawnees and Little Turtle of the Miamis formed a group to protect their lands. After some significant battles, U.S. President George Washington sent General Anthony Wayne with a new army. This army eventually brought an end to the conflicts, allowing more European Americans to settle in the territory.
Remembering the Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance is remembered as a foundational document in American history.
| In 1907, a plaque was placed on the exterior of the Federal Hall National Memorial in Lower Manhattan. This plaque honors the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory and the Ordinance itself. Federal Hall was where the U.S. government was located in 1787 when the law was passed. | |
| On July 13, 1937, the U.S. Post Office released a special 3-cent stamp. This stamp celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Northwest Territory. It showed a map of the United States with figures of Manasseh Cutler and Rufus Putnam, who were involved in the territory's early development. |
See also
In Spanish: Ordenanza Noroeste para niños
- Historic regions of the United States
- Public Land Survey System
- State cessions
