Legislation1787
Northwest Ordinance Enacted
The Confederation Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, establishing a government for the Northwest Territory and creating a process by which territories could become states. It also prohibited slavery in the territory and guaranteed civil liberties including religious freedom and trial by jury.
Why It Matters
The Northwest Ordinance set the template for American expansion, establishing that new states would enter the Union as equals. Its ban on slavery in the Northwest Territory foreshadowed the national debate that would follow.