How did the Northwest Ordinance handle the issue of slavery?

Question

did it even handle it at all?

short answers please

Answer 1

In the Ordinance, Congress compacted with the settlers of the territories that they would be equal citizens of the United States, and would enjoy all of the rights that had been fought for in the Revolution.

Answer 2

Blueprairie's answer, above, is mostly correct. I question whether the Illinois constitution effectively allowed any form of traditional slavery.

In addition, keep in mind that the Northwest Ordinance was adopted under the Articles of Confederation - so, when the Constitution was adopted, the slave-holding states accepted that a large and increasingly valuable and productive part of the country was already slavery free.

Sorry the answer isn't that short. The short answer is the the NO prohibited slavery and that should answer your question.

Good luck to you

Answer 3

The Ordinance's intent was clear: "The following articles shall be considered as articles of compact between the original states and the people and states in said territory and forever remain unalterable. ..
Article 6: There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. "

However, at least one state (Illinois) managed to dodge this particular bullet by inserting language into their constitution that left an avenue for slaveholders wide open, to whit: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall hereafter be introduced into this state otherwise than for the punishment of crimes".

Illinois had been a slave-owning area since the French first imported slaves to work in the mines, so this statement effectively sidestepped the existing situation.

Edited to add a note to Cochise; the shameful truth is that slavery was alive and well in the state of Illinois well into the 1840's. I didn't realize it either until I started doing research on the Underground Railroad in the state.

Read the link; it's an eye-opener. I was shocked.

Answer 4

go to the library and read about it yourself!!