[Sidenote:  Provisions of the Ordinance of 1787.]

177.  The Ordinance of 1787.—­In the first place the ordinance provided for the formation of one territory to be called the Territory Northwest of the Ohio.  But it is more often called the Northwest Territory or simply the Old Northwest.  At first it was to be governed by the persons appointed by Congress.  But it was further provided that when settlers should arrive in sufficient numbers they should enjoy self-government.  When fully settled the territory should be divided into five states.  These should be admitted to the Confederation on a footing of equality with the original states.  The settlers in the territory should enjoy full rights of citizenship.  Education should be encouraged.  Slavery should never be permitted.  This last provision is especially important as it saved the Northwest to freedom.  In this way a new political organization was invented.  It was called a territory.  It was really a colony; but it differed from all other colonies because in time it would become a state on a footing of entire equality with the parent states.

Chapter 18

Making Of The Constitution, 1787-1789

[Sidenote:  Weakness of the Confederation.]

[Sidenote:  Meeting of the Federal Convention, 1787.]

178.  Necessity for a New Government.—­At this very moment a convention was making a constitution to put an end to the Confederation itself.  It was quite clear that something must be done or the states soon would be fighting one another.  Attempt after attempt had been made to amend the Articles of Confederation so as to give Congress more power.  But every attempt had failed because the consent of every state was required to amend the Articles.  And one state or another had objected to every amendment that had been proposed.  It was while affairs were in this condition that the Federal Convention met at Philadelphia in May, 1787.

[Sidenote:  James Madison.]

179.  James Madison.—­Of all the members of the Convention, James Madison of Virginia best deserves the title of Father of the Constitution.  He drew up the Virginia plan which was adopted as the basis of the new Constitution.  He spoke convincingly for the plan in the Convention.  He did more than any one else to secure the ratification of the Constitution by Virginia.  He kept a careful set of Notes of the debates of the Convention which show us precisely how the Constitution was made.  With Alexander Hamilton and John Jay he wrote a series of papers which is called the Federalist and is still the best guide to the Constitution.

[Illustration:  JAMES MADISON.]

[Sidenote:  Washington President of the Convention.]

[Sidenote:  Franklin.]