Congress (under the Articles of Confederation) enacted the Northwest Ordinance. It admitted a huge new area to the United States, and ensured that new territories did not need to be part of already-existing states. It established ownership of land in fee simple, in perpetuity. It allowed for the creation of new states, to join the existing 13. It stated that "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged", and land was set aside in the new territories for establishing schools. Preceding the Bill of Rights in the later Consistution (and providing a model for some of it), it established rights such as trial by jury, religious tolerance and freedom, and habeas corpus, along with prohibitions on cruel and unusual punishment and ex post facto laws. it also prohibited slavery in the new territories.
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