The provision of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 that was largely unenforced was the one opening the door for Native American land rights. The Northwest Ordinance had established a framework for the creation of new states in the Midwest, while also providing a mechanism for the gradual abolition of slavery in the territory. Additionally, the Ordinance contained provisions for the protection of Native American land rights, specifying that their land was not to be taken without their consent. However, this provision was largely ignored by white settlers who continued to push westward, and the US government's policies towards Native American land rights would worsen over time, culminating in the forced removal of thousands of Native Americans from their homelands in the 19th century.