The Organic Laws of Oregon were two sets of legislation passed in the 1840s by a group of primarily American settlers based in the Willamette Valley.

[2] On February 2, 1843, a new series of meetings began with a gathering at the Oregon Institute in what is now Salem to discuss problems with predatory animals attacking livestock.

[5][6] Regardless of exact figures of those supporting the presented laws, these votes are held to have created the Provisional Government of Oregon.

[7] Scholars and historians have appraised the First Organic Laws as being "very crude and unsatisfactory",[8] not allowing for an effective government body to function.

The portion of the sixth article related to restitution of runaways to slave states was not included in the Organic Laws.

Articles 1 through 4 covered the elections of officers, with suffrage restricted to "every free male descendant of a white man", therefore allowing participation by interested French-Canadians or their Métis children.

[11] Articles 8 through 11 establish and define the offices of Recorder (later the Secretary of State) and Treasurer and 12 through 15 outlined what laws of Iowa were adopted.

[11] This size was from legislation created by American Senator Linn in 1842, allowing "any white male" to take as much land in the Oregon Country.

[14] The Provisional Government allowed one land patent per male settler, and required "permanent improvements" within six months of recording the claim.

[11] Intertwined with this legislation was an ongoing dispute between Methodist missionary Alvin Waller and Chief Factor John McLoughlin of the British Columbia District over rights to Willamette Falls.

[5][8][9] The fourth article was controversial with American immigrants who arrived in 1843 and 1844, upset at how much land missionaries could occupy, and was subsequently repealed in 1844.

[15] The second legislative committee, the majority of its members having arrived the previous year,[10] ruled the laws were statutory and thus could be repealed or revoked at the discretion of the assembly.