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 assembly
b. 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:
Ohio (1803)
Indiana (1816)
Illinois (1818)
Michigan (1837)
Wisconsin (1848)
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE of
1787
Rights Guaranteed:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Trial by jury
Public education
Freedom of religion
Prohibition of slavery