The Northwest Ordinance and Louisiana Purchase 1785-1803

Expansion of the United States:The Northwest Ordinance andLouisiana Purchase1785-1803

The Land Ordinance--1785

Key Features of the Northwest Land Ordinance--1785Required land to be surveyed into townships of 6 mile squares and divided into 36 one mile square sections

(640 acres)A typical farm was equal to a section or 160 acresOne section (N16) of every township was set aside for public education

The Northwest Ordinance--1787Established territories for expansion and guidelines for becoming new states (after they reached a population of 60,000) Required a Representative GovernmentSLAVERY WAS NOT ALLOWED!Guarantee Freedom of Religion and Rights to Trial by Jury

(anticipated the Bill of Rights in 1789)

France Purchases Louisiana Louisiana was secretly dealt to France by Spain in the Treaty of Ildefonso in 1800Napoleon hoped to re-establish a French presence in the New WorldThe Haitian slave revolt eventually led to defeat of the French Army and their return to France leaving Louisiana undefendable

The Louisiana Purchase-1803Learning of the secret deal, Jefferson sent Robert Livingston and James Monroe to purchase Louisiana from Napoleon.

Livingston Monroe Napoleon

The Louisiana Purchase $$$Total Cost was $15 millionDoubled the size of the United StatesPresident Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore the new territory and find the source of the Missouri River (Hoping to find a Northwest Passage)