11/5/2013
THE CONFEDERATION
America under the
Articles of Confederation
The Land Ordinance of 1785 and the
Northwest Territory
Articles of Confederation
• November 1777 – America’s 1st
constitution
Settling the Public Domain
• The Articles of
Confederation did not
give congress the power
to tax
– Provided a national government
– States gave up little of their power
• Sold public lands in the
west to raise revenue
• “A firm league of friendship”
• States kept “sovereignty, freedom,
& independence”
• One of the issues of the
Confederation Congress
was how to deal with the
sale and settlement of
the public lands
Articles formally become
our govt. on March 1, 1781
• 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
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6 miles x 6 miles
square
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• Opportunity to a lot of
land cheap
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6 miles
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• Divided territory into
townships
• Some land was reserved
for Revolutionary War
veterans
6
miles
A
Land sold for
$1 per acre
A – Half-section = 320 acres
B – Quarter-section = 160 acres
C – Half-quarter section = 80 acres
D – Quarter-quarter section = 40 acres
C
B
D
D
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11/5/2013
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
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
– When TOTAL population reached 60,000 they could apply for statehood
– Would come into Union with all rights & privileges of original 13 states
• Ensured trial by jury
• Set a precedent that new states would have equal status to old states
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