Isabella Carter
The Northwest Ordinance, enacted on July 13, 1787, was an organic act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States. It created the Northwest Territory, the nation's first organized incorporated territories, and outlined a process for admitting new states into the Union. The Ordinance established a precedent for central government administration of new lands and prohibited slavery in the territories, with a fugitive slave clause. While it influenced the Constitution, particularly regarding the admission of new states, the Supreme Court did not extend the Ordinance to cover the respective states once admitted to the Union.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Ordinance | July 13, 1787 |
| Territory Created | Northwest Territory |
| Territory Boundaries | Upper Mississippi River (west), Pennsylvania (east), British North America and the Great Lakes (north), Ohio River (south) |
| Purpose | To establish a government for the Northwest Territory |
| Provisions | A division of the Northwest Territory into 3-5 states; a three-stage method for admitting a new state to the Union |
| Civil Liberties | Freedom of religion, right to trial by jury, public education |
| Slavery | Prohibited in the Northwest Territory |
| Fugitive Slave Clause | Yes |
| Legislative Precedent | Established the precedent for new lands to be administered by the central government |
| Constitutional Amendments | Ratified ten of the proposed amendments (known as the Bill of Rights) |
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What You'll Learn
The Northwest Ordinance created the Northwest Territory
The Northwest Ordinance, also known as the Ordinance of 1787, was enacted on July 13, 1787, by the Confederation Congress. It created the Northwest Territory, which was the first organised incorporated territory of the new nation. The territory was bounded by the Great Lakes to the north, the Ohio River to the south, the upper Mississippi River to the west, and Pennsylvania to the east.
The Northwest Ordinance established a government for the Northwest Territory and provided a method for admitting new states to the Union from the territory. It also included a bill of rights that guaranteed certain freedoms and rights for the inhabitants of the territory. The ordinance was based on the principles outlined by Thomas Jefferson in the Ordinance of 1784, which established the precedent for the federal government to be sovereign and expand westward by admitting new states.
The Northwest Territory was largely inhabited by Native Americans before the enactment of the ordinance. After the American Revolutionary War, there were competing claims to the western lands, including from Virginia, which cited its original colonial charter dating back to 1607. Smaller states that were blocked from expanding west rejected these claims. The Northwest Ordinance helped establish the national government's authority over the state governments in administering these lands and removed western lands as a point of contention in national discourse.
The ordinance also broke colonial precedent by defining the future use of natural navigation, transportation, and communication routes. It stated that the navigable waters leading to the Mississippi and St. Lawrence rivers would be "common highways and forever free" for the inhabitants of the territory and citizens of the United States. Additionally, the Northwest Ordinance encouraged education and forbade slavery in the territory, although it also contained a fugitive slave clause.
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It outlined a process for admitting new states
The Northwest Ordinance, enacted on July 13, 1787, was an organic act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States. It outlined a process for admitting new states to the Union, which was subsequently used as the country expanded westward.
The ordinance provided for the admission of several new states from within its bounds, stating that there would be "not less than three nor more than five States" formed in the Northwest Territory. It established a three-stage method for admitting a new state:
- In the first phase, a congressionally appointed governor, secretary, and three judges would rule.
- In the second phase, when the population of the territory reached "five thousand free male inhabitants of full age", an elected assembly and one non-voting delegate to Congress would be elected.
- In the third phase, when the population reached 60,000, a state constitution would be drafted, and membership to the Union would be requested.
This process, outlined in the Northwest Ordinance, set a precedent for the admission of new states into the Union. It established that new states would be admitted "on an equal footing with the original states in all respects whatever", as stated in Article IV, Section 3, Clause 1 of the Constitution, also known as the Admissions Clause. This clause authorizes Congress to admit new states into the Union and has been used to admit 37 states to the Union, with Vermont being the first in 1791 and Hawaii the most recent in 1959.
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It prohibited slavery in the new territories
The Northwest Ordinance, enacted on July 13, 1787, prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory, which was the new nation's first organised incorporated territory. This territory was bounded by British North America and the Great Lakes to the north, the Ohio River to the south, the Mississippi River to the west, and Pennsylvania to the east.
The ordinance's prohibition of slavery in the territory had significant implications for the region's future. It effectively established the Ohio River as the dividing line between slave states and free states, extending the Mason-Dixon line from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River. This division would become even more pronounced in the early 19th century, as attempts to introduce slavery into the proposed constitution of Ohio in 1802 were thwarted by anti-slavery advocates. Ohio, which became the first state created from the Northwest Territory in 1803, remained a free state, while the remaining territory was renamed Indiana Territory.
The Northwest Ordinance's stance on slavery was not without its complexities. While it outlawed slavery in the territory, it also included a fugitive slave clause, allowing slave owners to reclaim their escaped slaves. Additionally, in the 1820s, proponents of slavery attempted to legalise it in two states formed from the Northwest Territory, Illinois and Indiana, but they were unsuccessful. However, an "indentured servant" law allowed some slaveholders to bring individuals under the status of indentured servants, who could not be bought or sold.
The prohibition of slavery in the Northwest Ordinance reflected the ideals of the time and set a precedent for the expansion of free states in the westward growth of the nation. It demonstrated a commitment to ending the institution of slavery in the newly formed territories, even as it navigated the complexities of existing slave ownership and the economic interests of different regions. The Northwest Ordinance's impact on slavery in the new territories was a significant aspect of its legacy, shaping the course of history and the lives of those who called these lands home.
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It protected civil liberties
The Northwest Ordinance, enacted on July 13, 1787, was an organic act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States. It created the Northwest Territory, the new nation's first organised incorporated territories between British North America and the Great Lakes to the north, and the Ohio River to the south.
The Ordinance was designed to serve as a plan for the development and settlement of the region. It outlined a process for admitting new states, guaranteeing that newly created states would be equal to the original thirteen states. It also set legislative precedent with regard to American public domain lands.
The Northwest Ordinance protected civil liberties in several ways. Firstly, it outlawed slavery in the Northwest Territory, with Article 4 stating:
> "The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common highways and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the said territory as to the citizens of the United States, and those of any other States that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any tax, impost, or duty therefor."
The Ordinance also guaranteed freedom of religion and provided for education. It further outlined the treatment of Native Americans within the region, stating that their lands and property would never be taken from them without their consent, and that their property, rights, and liberty would never be invaded or disturbed unless in just and lawful wars authorised by Congress.
The Ordinance was considered one of the most important legislative acts of the Confederation Congress, as it established the precedent by which the federal government would be sovereign and expand westward with the admission of new states.
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It was an organic act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States
The Northwest Ordinance, enacted on July 13, 1787, was an organic act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States. It was a significant piece of legislation that established the precedent for new lands to be administered by the central government, even if only temporarily, rather than by the individual states. This marked a departure from the Articles of Confederation, which allowed for the expansion of existing states and their established sovereignty.
The Northwest Ordinance created the Northwest Territory, the first organized incorporated territory of the new nation. This territory was bounded by British North America and the Great Lakes to the north, the Ohio River to the south, Pennsylvania to the east, and the upper Mississippi River to the west. The ordinance also set a pattern of development that was followed for all subsequent territories. Covering more than 260,000 square miles, the Northwest Territory included the modern states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
The ordinance established a plan for the division of the Northwest Territory and the admission of new states to the Union. It outlined a three-stage method for this process, starting with the appointment of a congressionally appointed governor, secretary, and judges to rule in the first phase. In the second phase, an elected assembly and a non-voting delegate to Congress would be elected once the population reached a certain threshold. The final phase would involve drafting a state constitution and requesting membership in the Union when the population reached 60,000.
The legislation also addressed the issue of slavery, prohibiting it in the territory. This had the effect of establishing the Ohio River as the geographic divide between slave states and free states from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River. Additionally, the ordinance set legislative precedent regarding American public domain lands and natural navigation, transportation, and communication routes.
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Frequently asked questions
The Northwest Ordinance was an organic act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States, enacted on July 13, 1787. It created the Northwest Territory, the nation's first-incorporated territories between British North America and the Great Lakes to the north, and the Ohio River to the south.
The Northwest Ordinance outlined a three-stage method for admitting new states to the Union. It also prohibited slavery in the states to be formed out of the territories, guaranteed civil liberties, and outlined the future use of natural resources and transportation routes.
The Northwest Ordinance established the precedent for new lands to be administered by the central government and influenced the content of the Constitution, particularly Article IV, Section 3, which outlines the process for admitting new states. The ordinance was also affirmed, with slight modifications, by the U.S. bicameral Congress on August 7, 1789.
The Northwest Ordinance was enacted following the American Revolutionary War, which ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The treaty ceded the Northwest Territory region to the United States, but the Confederation Congress faced challenges in gaining control of the land due to indigenous resistance, American settler activity, and the presence of British outposts.
