What's the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

Answer 1

Considered to be one of the most significant achievements of the Congress of the Confederation, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 put the world on notice not only that the land north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi would be settled but that it would eventually become part of the United States. Until then this area had been temporarily forbidden to development.

Increasing numbers of settlers and land speculators were attracted to what are now the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. This pressure together with the demand from the Ohio Land Company, soon to obtain vast holdings in the Northwest, prompted the Congress to pass this Ordinance

The area opened up by the Ordinance was based on lines originally laid out in 1784 by Thomas Jefferson in his Report of Government for Western Lands. The Ordinance provided for the creation of not less than three nor more than five states. In addition, it contained provisions for the advancement of education, the maintenance of civil liberties and the exclusion of slavery.

Above all, the Northwest Ordinance accelerated the westward expansion of the United States.

Answer 2

Northwest Ordinance Of 1787

Answer 3

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/ayi3o

In the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, Congress established a system of government for the territory north of the Ohio (territory). Three to five states were to be carved out of the giant Northwest Territory and admitted "on an equal footing with the original states in all respects whatsoever." Slavery was prohibited. But the initial guarantee of self-government in President Thomas Jefferson's plan was replaced by the rule of a congressionally appointed court of judges and governor. Once the free white male population of the territory reached 5,000, these citizens would be permitted to choose an assembly, but the governor was given the power of absolute veto on all territorial legislation. National interest would be imposed on the localistic western territories. The Northwest Territory was a huge region that included the future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Answer 4

RE:
What's the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

Answer 5

The answers you have received already are substantially accurate. I went to find the text of the document to refresh my memory. Here's the text in a link, and a brief summary of what the Ordinance does.

The territory ceded as the Northwest Territory was largely land claimed by Virginia. The area extends from the western border of Pennsylvania, to the Mississippi River and from
Canada to the Ohio River, within the limits stated above.

The Ordinance sets the pattern for rule in future territories, beginning with the appointment of a Governor and Secretary, the appointment of a legislative council, and the eventual establishment of the election of members to the legislature.

The ordinance forbids slavery in the territory, except for punishment of a crime. It does guarantee that the owner of a slave, if that slave has escaped to the territory, is entitled to recover that slave from the territory.

This territory, subject to the cession of lands by Virginia, belongs to the Confederation of the United States, and functions under the Articles of Confederation. This is the only territory in the new nation subject to the rule of all the states, rather than to one state in particular. This makes it the only part of the nation subject to the rule of the Confederation Congress alone. The Southwestern area will later be similarly changed from territories of the southern states, to territory controlled by the Congress (under the new Constitution).

I recommend examining the structure of the government within the territories, particularly the careful description included of the number of the population required for making the steps toward statehood.

Being a native Illinoisan, I also found the prescribed boundaries of the westernmost state to be of interest. The eastern, western and southern borders are as they are today, but the northern border was the border with Canada.

Answer 6

It was for the creation of the Northwest Territory. It showed how the United States would expand by adding new states rather than expanding existing ones.