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Indiana from NW Ordinance to Statehood

Indiana from NW Ordinance to Statehood

  • Indiana’ from 1787 (Passage of Northwest Ordinance) to 1816 (Indiana Statehood)

    The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was enacted on July 13, 1787. It significantly changed the subsequent development of America.  It clarified that:

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    1. New states developed from the Northwest Territory would share a ‘Coequal Status’ with the original 13 States
    2. It established ‘the 3 stage process’ for territories to become states
      • Stage 1:  Congress appoints a governor, secretary and 3 judges to make laws for a territory
      • Stage 2:  Once a territory has 5,000 male settlers, then a state legislature could be formed
      • Stage 3:  Once a territory has 60,000 male settlers, then a territory could apply for statehood
    3. It was the first and only USA anti-slavery policy before the civil war
    4. Although the United State Constitution was not adopted and signed until Sept. 17, 1787, the Northwest Ordinance passed 13 July, 1787.  For territory citizens, it included freedom of religion, right to a jury trial, due process of the law, safety from cruel or unusual punishment, right to government detention only if legal justification (habeas corpus), compensation for government use of private land for public use (eminent domain), and the right to make private contracts.
    5. While it established the orderly westward expansion of American States, it did so at the expense of Native Americans
    6. Established a ‘Township’ System
    7. ‘Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall ever be encouraged. Early land sales required that schools exist in each township.  Land sold to the Ohio Company had two townships for a university.  This led to the founding of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio in 1804.

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    Area in yellow approximates what was the ‘Indiana Territory as of 7 May 1800 when

    President John Adams signed the Indiana Organic Act

    Formation of the State of Indiana was dependent on obtaining Native America lands.

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    Population of Indiana
    1800     2,632
    1810   24,520
    1816   63,897

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    Indiana Territory in 1812 displaying notable places and battles in the War of 1812

    by Charles Edward

    Vincennes, IN. was capital of the Indiana Territory 1800-1813

    Corydon, IN. was capital of the Indiana Territory    1813-1816

Key Figures in ‘Early Indiana’

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Fort Wayne in Ft. Wayne. IN.


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General Anthony Wayne Statue


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Chief Richardville Home


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William Henry Harrison Monument with tomb inside


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(North Bend is almost in Southeastern Indiana)


A tombstone in a cemeteryDescription automatically generatedFrancis Slocum Gravestone
Slocum Cemetery Somerset, IN


Chief Richardville Marker
Corner of Jefferson and Calhoun Street Ft. Wayne, IN


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Jonathan Jennings Gravestone
Pleasant Street, Charlestown Clark Co Indiana