National Park Service The Northwest Ordinance U.S. Department of the Interior of 1787

Courtesy George Rogers Clark National Historical Park.

THE BICENTENNIAL YEAR THE NORTHWEST How would this territory be ORDINANCE OF 1787 settled? Would it be a colony? How In 1987, the United States is would the land be divided? What celebrating the Bicentennials of the In the midst of this chaos and were the rights of settlers? What Northwest Ordinance and the Con­ confusion, Congress raised the were the rights of the Indians stitution. As part of these obser­ question about the future of the there? How would it be governed? vances, the National Park Service Northwest Territory. Would a powerful central govern­ is highlighting these two landmark This territory was gained as part ment be necessary to manage so achievements in many of the 339 of the successful campaigns of large an area? Would the members parks within the system. George Rogers Clark and his of the Continental Congress ever Both the Northwest Ordinance frontier soldiers in 1778-79, which be able to agree on one plan? and the U.S. Constitution were had greatly weakened the British Congress debated many pro­ created at a time often referred to hold on the lands north of the Ohio posals to resolve these questions as the "critical period" of American River. At the Treaty of Paris in 1783, about how our nation would grow. history. The very existence of the Great Britain ceded this area to the Ordinances were passed in 1784 Union was threatened by serious United States, thus doubling the and 1785, but they addressed only troubles, both abroad and at home. size of the new nation. a part of the problem. Yet out of this chaos came order. The documents endured and en­ sured the nation's stability and survival. AFTERTHE REVOLUTIONARY WAR America's initial great experi­ ment in self-government seemed shaky, at best. The Articles of Con­ federation, the nation's first attempt at a system of government, were flawed and took four years to ratify. The Articles established a Con­ gress that often bogged down in endless bickering and was unable to make or enforce decisions governing all of the states. Some Although the Northwest Ordinance established the organization and machinery of govern­ ment, there were still questions on how the land would be divided. What rights would the set­ believed the new nation was tlers and the Native Americans have? Unfortunately many battles would be fought to decide doomed. the answers. In the words of President Abraham Lincoln: '... that Ordinance was constantly looked to whenever a new territory was to become a state. Congress always traced their course by the Ordinance of 1787."

OCcf Northwest ^Territory

Present day states of the Northwest Terri­ tory and the dates they entered the union.

Then on July 13, 1787, the Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, which included the following provisions: • The temporary appointment of government officials; Under the guidelines of the THE UNITED STATES • A representative legislature, Ordinance, western expansion ac­ CONSTITUTION once a population of 5,000 adult celerated. New towns sprang up, males was established; followed by the new states of Ohio, • Statehood, once a population Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wis­ At the same time the Confed­ of 60,000 citizens was present; consin. eration Congress was meeting in New York City to adopt the North­ • Statehood completely equal to The Ordinance did not fade a- west Ordinance, the Constitutional the rights and duties of other way with the settling of the North­ Convention was assembling in Phil­ states in the nation; west Territory. With the Louisiana adelphia. The need for a stronger •A Bill of Rights with: Purchase, and other land acquisi­ central government than that au­ religious freedom, tions, the Ordinance remained the thorized under the Articles of Con­ no slavery, guiding light in developing these federation had become increas­ rights of English liberty, such lands into states. Except for Texas, ingly apparent over the years. Al­ • as trial by jury, California, and Hawaii, all states though initially beset by many con­ just treatment of Indians, west of the original thirteen col­ flicting interests and differences of means of education and onies evolved into statehood under opinion, the delegates at last schools. the policies of the Northwest Ord­ reached a series of compromises inance of 1787. L that produced the final draft of the United States Constitution on Sep­ tember 17, 1787.

The summer of 1787 marked the birth of the Northwest Ordi­ nance and the United States Con­ stitution. One provided for national growth, the other for representative, democratic government. Both as­ sured freedom and liberty.

The Northwest Territory seal was used by the first Governor of the Territory, Arthur St. Clair, in 1788. * U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1987 - 756-371