As big days go, July 4th is one of the big dogs. It’s America’s birthday. July 4th is not just a big day for America. It’s also part of Iowa history. We learned from Iowa PBS that early in its journey, the U.S. Congress set up a roadmap for western lands to become states, remembering how the American colonists weren’t exactly fans of British rule (cue the Revolutionary fireworks). One of their star acts was the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. It gave a how-to guide for places like Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin to join the statehood club.