Historic Northwest Territory Law

Welcome to my Historic Northwest Territory Law page!

The Northwest Territory, established by Congress in 1787, included the future states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and a bit of Minnesota. Ohio’s 1803 statehood put an end to the Northwest Territory.[1]

My online law library guides you to Northwest Territory session laws and compilations. Enjoy!

Also see my blog post introducing Northwest Territory law.

[1] “Northwest Territory,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Territory : accessed 4 November 2021).

 

Northwest Territory Laws, 1787 to 1803

Year

Title/Description

Statutory Law Online

1787 An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States North-west of the River Ohio Google Books
Library of Congress
1791 Laws Passed in the Territory of the United States North-West of the River Ohio: From the Commencement of the Government to the 31st of December 1791 Hathi Trust
1792 Laws Passed in the Territory of the United States North-West of the River Ohio From July to December, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-Two, Inclusive Google Books
Hathi Trust
1795 Laws of the Territory of the United States North-West of the River Ohio Adopted and made by the Governour and Judges, in their Legislative Capacity, at a Session begun on Friday, the XXIX day of May, one thousand [s]even hundred and ninety-five, and ending on Tuesday the twenty fifth day of August following, With An Appendix of Resolutions and the Ordinance for the Government of the Territory Google Books
Hathi Trust
1798 Laws of the Territory of the United States North-West of the River Ohio, Adopted and Published at a Session of the Legislature Begun in the Town of Cincinnati, County of Hamilton and Territory Aforesaid Upon the 23d Day of April in the Year of Our Lord 1798 and Continued by Adjournments to the Seventh Day of May in the Same Year Hathi Trust
Internet Archive
1799 Laws of the Territory of the United States North-West of the River Ohio; Passed at the First Session of the General Assembly, Begun and Held at Cincinnati, on Monday, the Sixteeenth Day of September, A. D. One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Nine: Also, Certain Laws Enacted by the Governor and Judges of the Territory, From the Commencement of the Government to December, One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Two; With An Appendix, Containing Resolutions, The Ordinance of Congress for the Government of the Territory, the Constitution of the United States, and the Law Respecting Fugitives, Vol. 1 Google Books
Hathi Trust
1800 Laws of the Territory of the United States North-West of the River Ohio; Passed at the Second Session of the General Assembly, Begun and Holden at Chillicothe, on Monday, the Third Day of November, One Thousand Eight Hundred: With an Appendix of Resolutions, Vol. 2 Google Books
1787–1791 Laws Passed in the Territory of the United States North-West of the River Ohio, From the Commencement of the Government to the 31st of December, 1791 Google Books
1797–1802 [Published 1833] Laws of the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio: Including the Laws of the Governor and Judges, the Maxwell Code, and the Laws of the Three Sessions of the Territorial Legislature, 1791–1802: With a Sketch of the State of Ohio, the Ordinance of 1787, Etc. Google Books
1788–1800 [Published 1925] The Laws of the Northwest Territory, 1788-1800 Internet Archive