Final answer:
In 1780, multiple states claimed lands in what would become the Northwest Territory, with claims from states like Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. It wasn't until the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and the Land Ordinance of 1785 that there was a structured process for settling and managing these lands.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1780, several states laid claim to lands in the western territories beyond their original colonial boundaries. Leading up to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which established the Northwest Territory, states like Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut claimed vast tracts of land in the region. These lands included areas that would become the future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and a portion of Minnesota. However, exact figures on the number of states with claims can be ambiguous due to differing state claims and changing political dynamics of that period.
After the Revolutionary War, with the Treaty of Paris, Britain ceded the land of the Northwest Territory to the United States. The Land Ordinance of 1785 was a significant piece of legislation that structured the sale and development of these lands, setting a precedent for how the U.S. would distribute and manage lands gained from westward expansion.