Northwest Territory and the Northwest Ordinance (1787–1803)

1. Virginia’s cession creates a federal western domain

   Mar 1, 1784Labels: Virginia, Confederation Congress

   • IN History
   • Founders Archives

2. Congress adopts Jefferson’s Territorial Ordinance framework

   Apr 23, 1784Labels: Thomas Jefferson, Congress

   • Founders Archives
   • House History

3. Land Ordinance establishes the rectangular survey system

   May 20, 1785Labels: Land Ordinance, township survey

   • Encyclopedia com
   • IN History

4. Confederation Congress enacts the Northwest Ordinance

   Jul 13, 1787Labels: Northwest Ordinance, Confederation Congress

   • National Archives
   • IN History

5. Arthur St. Clair chosen as territorial governor

   Oct 5, 1787Labels: Arthur St, Winthrop Sargent

   • NW Ordinance
   • Founders Archives

6. Ohio Company land contract accelerates organized settlement

   Oct 27, 1787Labels: Ohio Company, land contract

   • Adams Papers
   • Gutenberg

7. Marietta founded as a key U.S. settlement

   Apr 7, 1788Labels: Marietta, Ohio Company

   • Marietta OH
   • Ohio Company

8. Treaty of Fort Harmar attempts to settle land disputes

   Jan 9, 1789Labels: Treaty of, Arthur St

   • Gilder Lehrman
   • Treaty Harmar

9. Battle of Fallen Timbers shifts control in the Northwest

   Aug 20, 1794Labels: Battle of, Anthony Wayne

   • Britannica
   • Army History

10. Treaty of Greenville cedes large areas to the United States

    Aug 3, 1795Labels: Treaty of, U S

    • Britannica
    • Britannica

11. Territorial legislature begins under the 5,000 free males rule

    Jan 1, 1798Labels: Territorial legislature, Northwest Ordinance

    • NW Territory
    • National Archives

12. Indiana Territory created, shrinking the Northwest Territory

    Jul 4, 1800Labels: Indiana Territory, Congress

    • Territorial Evo
    • IN History

13. Ohio Enabling Act authorizes a state constitution

    Apr 30, 1802Labels: Ohio Enabling, Congress

    • Enabling Act
    • National Archives

14. Ohio becomes a state, concluding the ordinance’s first test

    Mar 1, 1803Labels: Ohio statehood, Northwest Ordinance

    • NW Ordinance
    • Mahoning BOE