<P> The Northwest Ordinance ( formally An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States , North - West of the River Ohio , and also known as The Ordinance of 1787 ) was an act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States ( the Confederation Congress ) , passed July 13 , 1787 . The ordinance created the Northwest Territory , the first organized territory of the United States , from lands beyond the Appalachian Mountains , between British North America and the Great Lakes to the north and the Ohio River to the south . The upper Mississippi River formed the Territory 's western boundary . It was the response to multiple pressures : the westward expansion of American settlers , tense diplomatic relations with Great Britain and Spain , violent confrontations with Native Americans , the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation , and the empty treasury of the American government . It was based upon , but more conservative than Thomas Jefferson 's proposed ordinance of 1784 . The 1787 law relied on a strong central government , which was assured under the new Constitution that took effect in 1789 . In August 1789 , it was replaced by the Northwest Ordinance of 1789 , in which the new Congress reaffirmed the Ordinance with slight modifications . </P>
<P> The Northwest Ordinance ( formally An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States , North - West of the River Ohio , and also known as The Ordinance of 1787 ) was an act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States ( the Confederation Congress ) , passed July 13 , 1787 . The ordinance created the Northwest Territory , the first organized territory of the United States , from lands beyond the Appalachian Mountains , between British North America and the Great Lakes to the north and the Ohio River to the south . The upper Mississippi River formed the Territory 's western boundary . It was the response to multiple pressures : the westward expansion of American settlers , tense diplomatic relations with Great Britain and Spain , violent confrontations with Native Americans , the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation , and the empty treasury of the American government . It was based upon , but more conservative than Thomas Jefferson 's proposed ordinance of 1784 . The 1787 law relied on a strong central government , which was assured under the new Constitution that took effect in 1789 . In August 1789 , it was replaced by the Northwest Ordinance of 1789 , in which the new Congress reaffirmed the Ordinance with slight modifications . </P>
what was the purpose of the northwest ordinance in 1787
what was the purpose of the northwest ordinance in 1787
created the Northwest Territory , the first organized territory of the United States , from lands beyond the Appalachian Mountains , between British North America and the Great Lakes to the north and the Ohio River to the south . The upper Mississippi River formed the Territory 's western boundary
created the Northwest Territory , the first organized territory of the United States , from lands beyond the Appalachian Mountains , between British North America and the Great Lakes to the north and the Ohio River to the south . The upper Mississippi River formed the Territory 's western boundary