JOINING THE U.S.

LAWS FOR THE NEW TERRITORY

• Northwest Ordinance
• Forged the future of Michigan
• Helped shape Michigan's boundaries
• Explained how Michigan would be governed before it became a state

WHAT IT GAURNTEED

• Freedom of religion
• Protection against unjustified imprisonment
• Trial by jury
• Slavery was prohibitied
• Lakes would be able to be used by any U.S. citizen
• Indians would be treated considerably

WHERE WILL GHE BOARDERS BE

• None of the land had been divided into states
• The ordinance simply said, no less than three or more than five states would be carved from the area
• The boarders were changed several times

THREE STEPS TO STATEHOOD

• The ordinance provided three stages to becoming a state and each stage depended on the number of voters in each territory
• In order to vote you had to be a free white male who owned 50 acres of property
• Each voter had to publicly announce his choice

The final stage:
“...whenever any of the said states shall have 60,000 free inhabitants therein, such state shall be admitted by its delegates into the Con­ gress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original states in all respects whatso­ ever; and shall be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and state govemment....”