The Northwest Territory refers to which area?

• A. Territorial lands east of the Appalachian Mountains
• B. Lands near the southern border
• C. Areas of land around the Great Lakes
• D. Areas of land to the northwest of the Appalachians

Answer: (D)

The Northwest Territory refers to lands located to the northwest of the Appalachian Mountains—the region north of the Ohio River and west of the Appalachians. This area, defined after the Revolutionary War, eventually became states like Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. The defining feature is its position relative to the Appalachian range, not just being near the Great Lakes or near the southern border. So describing it as areas to the northwest of the Appalachians best captures the geographic sense of this territory.