Timeline of Westward Expansion

8 May 1796 The Land Act is approved by Congress.. The act calls for the surveying the land in the Northwest Territory. It put for sale the land in the territory for a minimum of $2 and acre. It set the minimum land sale of 640 acre. This made the cost to high for any individuals

1 June 1796- the state of Tennessee is admitted to the Union as the 16th state. The state is a slave state.

April 30, 1802- Congress passed the Enabling Act, which permitted any territory organized under the Ordinance of 1787 to organize them as a state. Ohio becomes the first state to so organize.

March 1, 1803- Ohio enters the Union as the 17th state.

March 26 1804 The Land Act of 1804 is passed. It reduces the minimum price of an acre of land to 1.64. It decreased the minimum amount that needed to be purchased to 160 acres and gave purchasers 10 years to pay for the land.

April 30th 1812- the State of Louisiana enters the Union as the 18th state.

December 11, 1816-Indiana is admitted as a free state. It is the 19th state into the Union

December 10, 1817- Mississippi enters the Union at the 20th state. It allows slavery.

December 3 1818- Illinois is admitted to the Union as a free state. It is the 21st state.