The Northwest Ordinance

A Solution For The Time

• Thomas Jefferson wants to see the land

become new, separate states (where

slavery will not exist after 1800).

• Congress meets and passes…

• Land Ordinance of 1785- a law that

established the Northwest Territory and

formed a political system for the region;

land would be sold at public auction.

Objective - You will integrate information from diverse sources, into a coherent understanding of how
the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 impacted the future expansion of the United States in order to
identify strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

What Was Solved?

• Since Congress could NOT

tax the citizens, selling
land at a public auction
would help to benefit the
new U.S. government and
solve the greatest
problem…

• Debt

Objective - You will integrate information from diverse sources, into a coherent understanding of
how the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 impacted the future expansion of the United States in order
to identify strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

“Not Worth a Continental”

• The United States government

was unable to pay most
veterans of the American
Revolution.

• The value of Continental bank

notes had dropped
substantially.

• To repay the veterans,

Congress offered them land in
the Northwest Territory.

Objective - You will integrate information from diverse sources, into a coherent understanding of how the
Northwest Ordinance of 1787 impacted the future expansion of the United States in order to identify strengths
and Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

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 Catch…

• There is always a catch it

seems. In this situation, the
public auctions were ONLY
available to citizens who
could purchase an entire
section of 640 acres initially.

• Therefore, all bidding

BEGAN at $640 ($1 per
acre).

• Land speculators who made

a bid and won a section
could sell individual, smaller
portions of it AFTER the
initial auction and make a
profit.

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.

elect its own legislature.

b.

send non-voting members to Congress.

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 jury

2.

Public education

3.

Freedom of religion

4.

Prohibition of slavery