The Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest

The Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Territory

America’s First National Government • Continental Congress passed the Articles of Confederation in November 1777. – Gave little power to national (federal) gov’t • Left many important powers to the states – Taxes, and enforcing national laws • National Government run by Confederation Congress – Each state had 1 vote in congress – Could wage war, make peace, sign treaties and issue money

Settling the Public Domain • The Articles of Confederation did not give congress the power to tax • Sold public lands in the west to raise revenue • One of the Confederation Congress was how to deal with the sale and settlement of the public lands • States that claimed western lands ceded them to the government

Land Ordinance of 1785 • Provided an orderly procedure to sell lands north of Ohio River • Divided territory into townships Ø 6 miles x 6 miles square • Opportunity to a lot of land cheap • Some land was reserved for Revolutionary War veterans

6 miles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 6 miles 35 36 A Land sold for $1 per acre C B D D A – Half-section = 320 acres B – Quarter-section = 160 acres C – Half-quarter section = 80 acres D – Quarter-quarter section = 40 acres

Northwest Ordinance (1787) • Passed in 1787, it created a government for the Northwest Territory – Land north of Ohio River & west of Pennsylvania to the Mississippi River Section 1 • Northwest Territory was to be divided into at least 3 but no more than 5 states Section 2 • 3 -step process to achieve statehood Could petition for statehood – At first territory would be ruled by a governor, secretary and 3 judges appointed by Congress – When adult male population reached 5, 000 they elect territorial legislature and a territorial delegate to Congress – When TOTAL population reached 60, 000 they could apply for statehood – Would come into Union with all rights & privileges of original 13 states • Set a precedent that new states would have equal status to old states

Northwest Ordinance (1787) Section 3 • Created a Bill of rights for settlers • Slavery would not be allowed in the Northwest territory – Insured that northern states would be free territory • Protected freedom of religion • Ensured trial by jury