Conclusion
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Conclusion
Thomas Jefferson’s democratic philosophies are represented in the development of the Northwest Territory’s states. Indiana is an example of how land ceded to America through the Treaty of Paris was identified and through the Northwest Ordinance became a state that flourished with settlers such as the Quakers. Most of Thomas Jefferson’s proposals for the 1784 Ordinance became a reality in the 1787 Northwest Ordinance which survived the end of the Articles of Confederation. The Northwest Ordinance established the government’s role in creating and adding new states to the union as well as questioning the role of American slavery. Thomas Jefferson’s dichotomy represented the division of the United States over the slavery question which later led to the Civil War.
Indiana struggled with the question of slavery and African-American rights as it matured to statehood even though the Northwest Ordinance provided a clear roadmap and expectations. Despite the struggle, Indiana did create an environment of opportunity that led Quakers to migrate due to push/pull factors – mostly related to slavery. Indiana has historically had the largest American Quaker membership since 1845 which is demonstrated today by the number of Quaker meeting houses (over 100), yearly meeting sites, historical sites and the historical role in the Underground Railroad. Indiana communities such as Plainfield were established by Quaker immigrants who named the township after their North Carolina home, Guilford.
