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The Ordinace of 1975
The Ordinance of 1785 dictated that land be surveyed and divided into townships. Each township, being six miles, would again be divided into 36 sections. The remaining one mile squares would be sold at a minimum of $1.00 per acre while one of the 36 squares would be set aside for public schools. It only regulated land north of the Ohio River, known as the Old Northwest, and was violated by settlers rapidly moving westward ahead of the surveys. -
Movement of Settlers Westward
Large numbers of settlers rapidly moved to new stretches of land available in the West following the Revolutionary War. The legal problems resulting from this expansion were immense. Settlers demanded cheap land that they often had no legal right to. They also caused a great deal of conflict with Native Americans which triggered fears over a prolonged armed conflict. -
The Ordinance of 1784
The Ordinance of 1784 established stages for self-government in the West. Land would initially be divided into districts under the control of Congress. Over time, these districts would join the Union as member states. Created by Thomas Jefferson, the Ordinance of 1784 which would have prohibited slavery in the West was rejected in Congress by one vote. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay’s Rebellion involved a group of debt-ridden Massachusetts farmers under the leadership of Daniel Shays. Because they did not pay their taxes or debts, their land was being seized. The group closed courts in order to prevent this. Governor Bowdoin reacted by sending an army which resulted in the arrest of 1,000 people. -
The Northwest Ordiance of 1787
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 required the establishment of three to five states north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. This allowed for the US to admit the Western population as equal members of the political system instead of ruling over them. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 falsely promised Native Americans good faith and that they could keep their land. Its exclusion of slavery in the Old Northwest was also violated. -
The Constitutional Convetion
55 delegates from the different states met with each other in order to create an alternative to the Articles of Confederation. They would agree to a series of compromises on the issues of representation based on population, representation based on slavery, and economic interests of the North versus economic of the South. The Constitution would also outline the separation of powers and checks and balances. Powers of the government were specified as well as powers of the states.