Final answer:
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established a system for territories to achieve statehood, banned slavery in the Northwest Territory, and created a Bill of Rights, setting a precedent for future governance and civil liberties in the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
Northwest Ordinance and its Precedent for Governing the United States
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was a significant piece of legislation passed by the Confederation Congress. One of its key provisions that established a precedent for future governance in the United States was the creation of an orderly system for the admission of new states into the Union. This ordinance not only set up a method for territories to achieve statehood but also banned slavery in the Northwest Territory, showing a clear stance on the issue of slavery. Additionally, it established a Bill of Rights for settlers, guaranteeing representative government, religious freedom, trial by jury, and other basic freedoms, laying the groundwork for fundamental civil liberties in the nation.