Final answer:
The Northwest Ordinance encouraged westward expansion through the establishment of a system for surveying and selling land, providing opportunities for people to purchase affordable land and settle in the Northwest Territory. Additionally, it outlined the process for achieving statehood, allowing territories to become fully recognized states once they reached a population of 60,000.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Northwest Ordinance was a law passed by the U.S. Congress in 1787 that established how new territories could become states. It played a significant role in westward expansion by encouraging people to move to unsettled areas. The ordinance provided a clear process for selling and settling lands in the Northwest Territory, which gave people the opportunity to purchase affordable land and establish new homes and businesses.
To encourage people to move to unsettled areas, the Northwest Ordinance established a system for surveying and selling land. It divided the territory into townships, each containing 36 sections of land. One section of each township was set aside for public education, and the rest were made available for purchase. This allowed people to easily acquire land and build communities in the Northwest Territory.
The Northwest Ordinance also outlined the process for achieving statehood. It stated that once a territory had a population of 60,000, it could apply for statehood. This pathway to statehood allowed for the orderly expansion of the United States, as territories could gradually transition into fully recognized states.
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