July 13, 1787

The U.S. government took the first step toward providing statehood for Michigan.

The Northwest Ordinance was passed in 1787, allowing the Northwest Territory of the United States to be divided into smaller territories that would eventually become states. Each territory needed a population of 60,000 people to qualify for statehood, and the pieces of the Northwest Territory that did so were Ohio (in 1803), Indiana (1816), Illinois (1819), Michigan (1837) and Wisconsin (1846).

Thank you Michigan History Magazine for this glimpse into our past.  See more at www.michiganhistorymagazine.com.