"238th Anniversary of the Northwest Territory Ordinance of 1787 Celebration"
Muskingum Park, Marietta, Washington County, Ohio
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“Honoring the Birth of Education in America"
The 238th Anniversary of the Ordinance of 1787 Celebration Committee wishes to invite the public to our free program at 10:30am, Wednesday, July 9, 2025 at the Start Westward Monument in East Muskingum Park, 319 Front Street, Marietta, Ohio, 45750.
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Paul LaRue, President of the Ohio State Board of Education & Retired Teacher, will delve into the profound impact of Article #3 of the Northwest Ordinance and its lasting legacy on public education in America.
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The Land Ordinance of 1785 provided the land, and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided the framework and encouragement for the establishment of education in the Northwest Territory, with Marietta and the Ohio Company playing a vital role in the practical implementation of this policy. These ordinances are the first instances of Congress providing support to education in the United States of America!
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It's fascinating to consider that these foundational steps towards promoting education were taken before the Constitution and Bill of Rights were established. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was passed unanimously by the Congress of the Confederation, July 13, 1787!!!
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Join us on July 9th to commemorate this pivotal moment in American history!
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Note: From 10-10:30am - Guests are invited to join in at the monument with music and refreshments! At the First Congregational Church, the “Church of the Pioneers” bell ringing of the carillon will be performed with various patriotic tunes. Guests are invited to climb the steps into the bell tower to watch as Sean Lofty operates the wooden levers to engage the chimes.
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Note: This is an outdoor event under the temporary protective shelter covering the monument, in case of rain, the First Congregational Church at 318 Front Street, Marietta, OH 45750
(For additional program information, contact jean.yost@gmail.com or 740-336-8060)
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Program Support: City of Marietta; Museum of the Northwest Territory - Campus Martius; First Congregational Church; Marietta Chapter Sons of the American Revolution; Washington County Public Library; Washington County Veterans Service Office; The Multicultural Genealogical Center; the Marietta Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution; Civil War Roundtable of the Mid-Ohio Valley and the America 250-Ohio Commission.
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Background Materials: The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 is one of the world’s great state papers. Arguably the greatest achievement of the Confederation Congress, the Ordinance provided the blueprint for the growth of the new American republic and set the course for forming a more perfect union; most of all by excluding slavery from new territory.
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The Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 played a pivotal role in promoting education in the United States, even before the Constitution was ratified.
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Here's a breakdown of how they supported education:
Land Ordinance of 1785: This ordinance established a systematic way to survey and divide the Western territories (the Northwest Territory). Crucially, it mandated the setting aside of one section of land in each new township for the support of public schools. This was a groundbreaking move, as it recognized the importance of education and provided a tangible way to fund it.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787: This ordinance built upon the Land Ordinance of 1785 by providing a framework for governing the Northwest Territory and a process for admitting new states to the Union. It also included a crucial article (Article 3) that directly addressed the importance of education: "Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged". The authors of the Northwest Ordinance believed that educated citizens were essential for successful self-government.
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Role of Marietta and the Ohio Company: The Ohio Company of Associates, established in 1786, specifically aimed to found an institution of higher education in the Northwest Territory. When the Northwest Ordinance was passed, one of its future founders, Manasseh Cutler, composed the clause that emphasized the encouragement of education. Ohio University, established in 1804, was a direct consequence of the Northwest Ordinance and became the country's first land-grant university.
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Significance:
These ordinances demonstrated a commitment from the Confederation Congress to support public education.
They laid the foundation for public education systems across the country by allocating land for schools.
The emphasis on "religion, morality, and knowledge" reflected the founders' belief that these were essential for good government and the well-being of the populace.
It's fascinating to consider that these foundational steps towards promoting education were taken before the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights were fully established. This highlights the importance that early American leaders placed on education for the new nation.
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This event is a tribute to the Continental Congress and all Patriots of the American Revolution, and focuses on the history of the founding of the Northwest Territory under the Ordinance of 1787. Many historians describe the Ordinance as one of the top three “Human Rights” documents in the world. Author David McCullough described the Ordinance best on page 30 of his new book, The Pioneers; “the great Northwest Ordinance of 1787 stands alongside the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence as a bold assertion of the rights of the individual.”
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Paul LaRue Bio:
In 1985, Paul LaRue entered the classroom as a high school social studies teacher at Washington Court House High School where he remained until his retirement. Paul has been the recipient of numerous state and national teaching awards, including American Legion Ohio Educator of the Year, Veterans of Foreign Wars Ohio Teacher of the Year, and Ohio Daughters of the American Revolution American History Teacher of the Year. Nationally recognized, Paul received Time Warner’s National Teacher Award, the History Channel’s First Place “Innovation in History Education,” and the African American Civil War Memorial Teacher of the Year.
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Since retiring, Paul has continued to work with social studies teachers and created educational content for the Ohio World War I Centennial, The Black History Bulletin, and the National Park Service. He currently serves as Co-Chair for the America 250 Ohio K-12 Education Committee.
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Dates in history: July 13, 1787, the day the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 is adopted; July 9, 1788, the date Territorial Governor Arthur St. Clair arrived at Marietta; July 15, 1788 the day Gov. St Clair opened Territorial government for business.
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Celebration Committee Co-Chairs: Marietta Mayor, Josh Schlicher; former Ohio Governor Nancy Hollister; Dr. Sharon Barnett, Board Member of The Multicultural Genealogical Center; Patty Ullman, Marietta Daughters of the American Revolution; Jean Yost, Marietta Chapter Sons of the American Revolution.
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HISTORIC BACKGROUND: Marietta, Washington County, Ohio, is the site of the first organized settlement and Capital of the Northwest Territory. After the Revolutionary War, many New England officers and enlisted men formed the Ohio Company and left their homes for life on the frontier. Landing at the mouth of the Muskingum (site of Fort Harmar and the 1stAmerican Regiment of the U.S. Army) on 7 April 1788, a group of 48 patriots led by General Rufus Putnam, founded Marietta and started the western expansion of the United States. Over the next several years, a great many soldiers, sailors, and/or their families came to live here in a county named for their leader, General George Washington. These men who had fought for their country’s independence in the American Revolution had lobbied with the new Congress for land as payment for their service. One result of the efforts of these men was the creation of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 which established territories North of the Ohio River to Canada and East of the Mississippi River, abolished slavery (Article VI) and served as the model for the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution. The Northwest Ordinance was unanimously passed on 13 July 1787 as one of the first significant pieces of legislation passed by the Continental Congress after the war. On 17 September 1787, almost 2 months to the day of the passing of the Northwest Ordinance, Congress slightly modified that Ordinance and adopted it as our U.S. Constitution.
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ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING: 9:30am to 5:00pm – The Museum of the Northwest Territory - Campus Martius, tour the General Rufus Putnam House, constructed in 1788 as part of the Campus Martius fortification. (Regular admission rates) Note: Territorial Governor Arthur St Clair and other officials conducted official business at the first Capital of the Northwest Territory, Campus Martius. Check out the exhibit “Celebrating the Pioneers,” based on the book The Pioneers by David McCullough, and explore the lives and personal objects owned by some of the individuals mentioned in the book.
SATURDAY, July 12th, 10am to 3pm- “HISTORY IN THE PARK” – History exhibits and Reenactors in Muskingum Park!
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For additional info: https://www.cwrtmov.org/
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