History in 13th Jul

The Confederation Congress passes the Northwest Ordinance, resolving existing claims to the Northwest Territory and creating a path to statehood for Northwest territories. Proposed by delegate Thomas Jefferson, the ordinance prohibited slavery and, in a preview of the Bill of Rights, established natural rights for the citizens of the Northwest Territory.

The New York draft riots begin as thousands of working-class New Yorkers protest the forced conscription into the Union Army. A mob of around 500 gathered outside the draft lottery office, which later grew as rioters targeted wealthy and African-American establishments. By the end of the four days of rioting, the riots had claimed more lives than any other stretch of rioting in United States history.

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