Northwest Territory
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Northwest Territory. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
in American history, a region lying north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi. It comprised territory ceded at different times to the general government by Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York , and Virginia, whose claims were based on conflicting charters granted by the king of England. On July 11, 1787, nearly two years before the United States Constitution went into effect, a committee of Congress, then in session in New York, reported an ordinance for the government of the territory of the United States northwest of Ohio. This famous act is known in history as the Ordinance of 1787. It is estimated that, in the year following the passage of the act, not less than 20,000 men, women, and children settled on the banks of the Ohio. Three clauses of the bill have become famous. One declared for public education: "Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." The second ran, "There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in said territory otherwise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." The third clause provided that the property of parties dying without wills shall be divided equally among the children. This clause was inserted to prevent the adoption of the English system (then still in force in some American states) of leaving the landed estate to the oldest son. The present states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin have been organized out of the Northwest Territory. That part of Minnesota lying east of the Mississippi is also a portion of the Northwest Territory.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
2026 Editor's Note: This page uses language about race that was commonplace when the book was published and is offensive by today's standards. The text has been left exactly as it was printed, rather than cut or softened, so that the historical record — including how ordinary such language once was — is preserved. (Ed: ET 2026-07-22) a name now given to British North American territory N. W. of the St. Lawrence river watershed which includes the old provincial districts of Mackenzie, Franklin, and Keewatin, north of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and extending to Arctic Ocean, its islands and as far as land has been discovered. Area about 1,242,224 square miles. The population, which is steadily declining, is estimated (1918): Indians, 5,100; Eskimos, 2,600, and some hundreds of half-breeds. There are two principal lakes, Great Bear, 11,- 800 square miles, and Slave Lake, 11,- 700. The Mackenzie river is 2,525 miles long. The region in parts abounds in fur-bearing animals-moose, bear, and caribou-and the waters teem with fish. Vegetables and oats are raised in the Mackenzie river valley. The territory is under a Commissioner of the Royal North West Police. Government-seat, Ottawa. Formerly included in Northwest Territory were the present provinces of Alberta (area, 255,285 square miles, pop. 375,000); Manitoba (area, 251,832 square miles, pop. 455,614); Saskatchewan (area, 251,700 square miles, pop. 492,432); and Yukon (area, 34,298 square miles, pop. 8,512).