Northwest OrdinanceAnd

Shays Rebellion

From Mr. Berlin at mrberlin.com

Objective: To examine the settlement of the Northwest Territory and the importance of Shays’ Rebellion.

• Congress surveyed the land into squares 6 miles on each side. (townships)

Land Ordinance

of 1785

6 miles

Land Ordinance

of 1785

• Each town was divided into 36 smaller sections, 640 acres each. (the cost was a minimum of $1 per acre)

Berlinville

• People pooled (combined) their money in order to be able to afford a piece of land.

Land Ordinance

of 1785

$640 per section

Theoretical township diagram showing method of numbering sections with adjoining sections.

Township MapSargent County, North Dakota

• When the population reached 60,000 free citizens, the area could apply for statehood. Ex.) OH, IN, IL, MI, WI

Northwest Ordinance (1787)

• When 5,000 free males of voting age settled an area, it became self-governing.

• Slavery was outlawed.

Shays’ Rebellion

• Farmer’s income decreased while taxes increased.

• Farmers who could not pay their debts had their farms taken away by the courts.

Massachusetts farmer Daniel Shays and his supporters occupy a Massachusetts courthouse.

• Therefore, in 1786, Daniel Shays led a group of farmers in an attempt to capture a federal arsenal.

Men Fighting During Shays' Rebellion

• The U.S., without an organized army, was powerless. Massachusetts sent a militia to stop the rebellion.

• Shays’ Rebellion convinced many people that the U.S. needed a new, stronger government.

• The Articles of Confederation needed to be replaced!

This is a picture of Daniel Shays grave in Scottsburg, NY.