On this day in US history, Congress enacted the “Northwest Ordinance”, structuring elements in the Northwest Territory and creating policy for new states to join the nation on July 13, 1787. Three to five new northwestern territories that were formerly part of Virginia’s territory would appoint a governor and council. Once the population of those territories reached 5,000, they could elect their own assembly, but the governor would have the power to veto. When the population hit 60,000, they were allowed to draft a constitution and petition for full statehood. The modern-day states that were made from the ceded Virginia territory were Kentucky, West Virginia, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
