Question

why do you think the land ordinance of 1785 and the northwest ordinance of 1787 are considered two great achievements of the government under the articles of confederation? write a response of at least three sentences.

Explanation:

First, the Land Ordinance of 1785 established a systematic, grid-based method for surveying and selling western lands, which brought order to land settlement, generated consistent revenue for the weak Confederation government, and set a precedent for organized territorial expansion. Second, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 went further by creating a process for western territories to become full U.S. states, ensuring they would have equal status with existing states rather than being treated as colonial dependencies; it also banned slavery in the Northwest Territory, setting an early precedent for restricting the expansion of slavery. Finally, both ordinances addressed critical challenges of the post-Revolutionary era—unregulated western settlement and lack of a framework for territorial governance—proving that the government under the Articles of Confederation could enact impactful, long-lasting policies that shaped the nation's territorial and political future, even as the Articles had major structural flaws.

Answer:

The Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance of 1787 are seen as key achievements of the Articles of Confederation government for several critical reasons. The Land Ordinance of 1785 created a standardized, grid-based system for surveying and selling lands in the western territories, which brought order to chaotic westward settlement, generated much-needed revenue for the cash-strapped national government, and established a pattern for organizing land ownership that would be used across future U.S. territories. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 built on this by outlining a clear, fair process for territories to gain statehood, guaranteeing that new states would have equal political standing with the original 13 states instead of being treated as subordinate colonies; it also prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory, marking an early, significant step in limiting the expansion of slavery across the nation. Together, these ordinances addressed pressing post-Revolutionary challenges, demonstrated that the Articles government could implement enduring, nation-building policies, and laid foundational rules for U.S. territorial expansion and governance that would shape the country's growth for decades to come.