14 Facts About Northwest Territory

1.

Northwest Territory, known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War.

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2.

At the time of its creation the Northwest Territory was a vast wilderness, long-populated by Native American cultures including the Delaware, Miami, Potawatomi, Shawnee and others; there were only a handful of French colonial settlements, plus Clarksville at the Falls of the Ohio.

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3.

Northwest Territory included all the then-owned land of the United States west of Pennsylvania, east of the Mississippi River, and northwest of the Ohio River.

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4.

Virginia capitalized on Clark's success by laying claim to the whole of the Old Northwest Territory, calling it Illinois County, Virginia, until 1784, when it ceded its land claims to the federal government.

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5.

The rest of the Northwest Territory was divided into roughly uniform square townships and sections, which facilitated land sales and development.

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6.

Northwest Territory led a punitive expedition involving two Regular Army regiments and some militia.

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7.

Northwest Territory organized and led the first group of veterans to the territory.

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8.

The Northwest Territory doubled the size of the United States, and establishing it as free of slavery proved to be of tremendous importance in the following decades.

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9.

Northwest Territory was resented by Ohio Democratic-Republicans for his apparent partisanship, high-handedness and arrogance in office.

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10.

Northwest Territory thus played no part in the organizing of the state of Ohio in 1803.

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11.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established the Northwest Territory, and defined its boundaries, form of government, and administrative structure.

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12.

The square surveys of the Northwest Territory became a hallmark of the Midwest, as sections, townships, counties were laid out scientifically, and land was sold quickly and efficiently .

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13.

General Assembly of the Northwest Territory consisted of a Legislative Council and a House of Representatives consisting of 22 members elected by the male freeholders in nine counties.

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14.

Northwest Territory Ordinance called for a public university for the education, settlement and eventual statehood of the frontier of Ohio and beyond.

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