Congress adopted the Northwest Ordinance on July 13, 1787.
The law organized the Northwest Territory, the region north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. It created a process for territorial government and eventual statehood, making it one of the most important laws passed under the Articles of Confederation.
The ordinance prohibited slavery in the territory, although it did not immediately end slavery elsewhere or eliminate the legal status of enslaved people already held there. It also encouraged public education and protected certain civil and religious liberties.
The territory’s government began with an appointed governor and other officials. Once population requirements were met, residents could form a territorial legislature and later apply for statehood. The states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, along with part of Minnesota, eventually emerged from the territory. The Northwest Ordinance is distinct from the Constitution, which delegates adopted later in 1787.