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 Northwest Territory
 Ohio Country  Ohio Statehood
 Indiana Territory  Indiana Statehood
 Michigan Territory  Michigan Statehood
 Illinois Territory  Illinois Statehood
 Wisconsin Territory  Wisconsin Statehood
 Iowa Territory
 Minnesota Territory  Minnesota Statehood

     

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory
(Basic maps by courtesy of the author(s) of "Territorial Evolution of the United States")

 (1) Northwest Territory 

Northwest Territory was founded on July 13, 1787.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (2) Indiana Territory 

On July 4, 1800,  Indiana  Territory was formed from the western portion of  Northwest  Territory.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (3a) Ohio Country 

Indian battles and massacres between 1775 and 1791.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (3b) Ohio Statehood 

On March 1, 1803, the southeastern portion of  Northwest  Territory was admitted as the 17th state,  Ohio .
The remainder of  Northwest  Territory was transferred to  Indiana  Territory.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (4) Michigan Territory 

On January 11, 1805,  Michigan  Territory was split from  Indiana  Territory, including the whole of the lower peninsula
of present-day Michigan but only that eastern tip of the upper peninsula which was held by the  Northwest  Territory
after  Indiana  Territory had been split from it.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (5) Illinois Territory 

On March 1, 1809,  Illinois  Territory was split from  Indiana  Territory.
The new territory included present-day Illinois, northeastern Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (6) Indiana Statehood 

On December 11, 1816, the southern portion of  Indiana  Territory was admitted as the 19th state,  Indiana .
The remainder became unorganized.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (7) Illinois Statehood 

On December 3, 1818, the southern portion of  Illinois  Territory was admitted as the 21st state,  Illinois .
The remainder was reassigned to  Michigan  Territory. The unorganized lands which had been a part of
 Indiana  Territory prior to the admission of Indiana as a state were also assigned to  Michigan  Territory.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (8) Wisconsin Territory 

On July 4, 1836, the easten portion of  Wisconsin  Territory was split off from  Michigan  Territory.
As an inducement to give up its claim over the Toledo Strip to  Ohio , the whole of the present-day
 upper peninsula  was assigned to  Michigan  Territory, giving it the present-day borders of Michigan.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (9) Michigan Statehood 

On January 26, 1837,  Michigan  Territory was admitted as the 26th state,  Michigan .

        

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (10) Iowa Territory 

On July 4, 1838,  Iowa  Territory was split off from  Wisconsin  Territory, consisting of
present-day Iowa, western Minnesota, eastern North Dakota, and eastern South Dakota.

           

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (11) Wisconsin Statehood 

On May 29, 1848, the southeastern portion of  Wisconsin  Territory was admitted as the 30th state,  Wisconsin .
The remainder became unorganized.

        

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (12) Minnesota Territory 

On March 3, 1849,  Minnesota  Territory was organized, consisting of present-day
Minnesota, and eastern portions of North Dakota and South Dakota.

  

The Evolution of the Area of the Northwest Territory

 (13) Minnesota Statehood 

On May 11, 1858, The eastern portion of  Minnesota  Territory was admitted as the 32nd state,  Minnesota .
The remainder became unorganized.



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