THE

OLD NORTHWEST

THE BEGINNINGS OF OUR COLONIAL

SYSTEM

BY

B. A. HINSDALE, PH.D., LL.D.

PROFESSOR OF THE SCIENCE AND THE ART OF TEACHING IN THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

REVISED EDITION

"Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness
of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."

-Ordinance of 1787.

"No colony in America was ever settled under such favorable auspices as that which has just
commenced at the Muskingum.". WASHINGTON.

-

"We look to you of the Northwest to finally decide whether this is to be a land of slavery or
freedom. The people of the Northwest are to be the arbiters of its destiny."- Seward.

SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY

BOSTON... NEW YORK... CHICAGO

LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
DAVIS

FOR THE STUDY OF AMERICAN HISTORY

FIRST STEPS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY.

By WILLIAM A. MOWRY, PH.D., and ARTHUR MAY MOWRY, A.M. Pp.
320, profusely illustrated. The narrative of our country as told in the
stories of 39 great Americans. Introductory price, 60 cents.

A HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, for Schools.

By WILLIAM A. MOWRY, PH.D., and ARTHUR MAY MOWRY, A.M. Pp.
466, highly illustrated. Accurate in statement, clear and graphic in
style, patriotic and unpartisan in spirit. Introductory price, $1.00.
HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE UNITED STATES.

By TOWNSEND MACCOUN, A.M. Pp. 48, 43 colored maps with text.
Introductory price, 90 cents.

HISTORICAL CHARTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

By TOWNSEND MACCOUN, A.M. 20 charts, 38x40 inches, containing 26
progressive maps, in high colors, for school and lecture-room use. Intro-
ductory price, with supporter, $15.00.

Both the "Historical Geography" and the "Historical Charts" portray the ap-
pearance of the map of our country after each of its changes until the present.

Copyright, 1888,

BY TOWNSEND MACCOUN.

Copyright, 1899,

BY SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY.

PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION.

THE Old Northwest is the designation by which the region of country bounded by the Great Northern Lakes and the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers has come to be known. It embraces the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and the eastern side of Minnesota a little more than a quarter million square miles of territory. The name has gained greater currency since the New Northwest, lying beyond the Mississippi River, has come into such great prominence.

Save New England alone, there is no division of the United States embracing several States that is so distinct an historical unit, and that so readily yields to historical treatment. It was first discovered and colonized by the French. It was the occasion of the final struggle for dominion between France and England in North America. It was the theatre of one of the most brilliant military exploits of the Revolution. The disposition to be made of it at the close of the Revolution was one of the most difficult questions settled at Paris in 1783. After the war, the Old Northwest assumed a constantly increasing prominence in the National history. It was the original public domain, and the first and the most important Territory ever organized by Congress. No other equal part of the Union has ever made in the