Northwest Territory Annexation Led To More Slavery

By Russell Roberts

Northwest Territory annexation led to more slavery when the intent was to keep that destructive institution confined to the southern states.  The annexation, one of the greatest actions in the history of the early United States, resulted in African-Americans again ultimately getting the short end of the stick.

The Northwest Ordinance, a measure that nearly doubled the size of the existing United States in the late 18^th century, contained wording that prohibited slavery in that area. However, while this was good for African-Americans in the short run, the result was compromises at the Constitutional Convention that helped usher in a continuation of slavery and eventually, the Civil War.

The Northwest Territory was ceded to America in 1783 by the British. Thomas Jefferson developed a plan – called the Northwest Ordinance - to carve states out of this area.  Eventually the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and part of Minnesota were formed from the massive territory. However, Jefferson also included the following language in the Northwest Ordinance:

“There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in said territory.”

Norwest Territory annexation let to more slavery. Photo credit: bet.com

There it was, in plain language. No slavery.  The Continental Congress adopted the Northwest Ordinance in1787. It was the first federal restriction on slavery, and many assumed that slavery would eventually just wither away like the broken branch of a tree. “Slavery in time will not be a speck in our country,” said Oliver Ellsworth from Connecticut in 1787.

However, very soon after the passage of Northwest Ordinance the Constitutional Convention was held as a replacement for the weak Articles of Confederation. How to deal with slavery was a hot-button issue for the Convention. The adoption of the Northwest Ordinance had the effect of establishing the Ohio River as the boundary between free and slave territory in the region between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River.

With their defeat and with the Northwest Ordinance still fresh, slave-holders won important compromises at the Constitutional Convention, assuring slavery’s continuation and setting up the new state battles between slavery and free states that led to the civil war. As Massachusetts man Elbridge Gerry said: “I am exceedingly distressed at the proceedings of the convention,” he said. “They will lay the foundation of a civil war,” he said.

For African-Americans, the new constitution led to more slavery. For America, the new constitution led to the bloody Civil War.

Feature Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org