One of the most important foundational documents in American history, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 is one that most people never learn about. Following principles outlined by Thomas Jefferson in 1784, it included a precursor to the bill of rights four years before one was added to the Constitution, it banned slavery in the territories decades before the same language was copied into the 13th Amendment, and led to the creation of the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Path to Liberty, Fast Friday Edition: July 12, 2024