Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Definition
This was an act passed by Congress under the Articles of Confederation that created a system for admitting new states into the Union from the territory north and west of Ohio River.
Analogy
Imagine you're playing a board game where you have to expand your territory. The Northwest Ordinance would be like your rulebook guiding how you can add more territories (states) onto your game board (the Union).
Related terms
Articles of Confederation: These were America's first constitution which gave most powers to individual states and very little power to central government.
Territorial Expansion: This term refers to adding more land area or territories into an existing country or state.
Manifest Destiny: This was a widely held belief in 19th-century United States that American settlers were destined to expand across North America.
"Northwest Ordinance of 1787" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (5)
What impact did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 have?
Which of the following was a provision of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
What was the main result of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
What was the significance of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
How did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 differ from earlier policies towards western territories?
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