Final answer:
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 allowed a territory to elect its own legislature once it reached a population of between 5,000 and 60,000 white male inhabitants. It also set the stage for a territory with over 60,000 people to adopt a constitution and apply for statehood, with a clause forbidding slavery. This law was crucial for the orderly expansion of the United States into new western territories.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Northwest Ordinance and Path to Statehood
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 outlined a clear process for how new territories could achieve statehood. Initially, when a territory had fewer than 5,000 white adult males, it was governed by appointed officials. However, once the territory's population reached between 5,000 and 60,000 white male inhabitants, those citizens were allowed to elect their own legislature. Self-government, in the form of a locally elected legislative body, became possible at this population milestone. Furthermore, the eventual path to statehood was outlined for when the population exceeded 60,000, allowing the territory to adopt a constitution that forbade slavery and protected religious freedom before applying for statehood.
This legislation, an achievement of the Confederation Congress, gave Congress control over the western territories and barred slavery, except as a criminal punishment, but included provisions regarding the return of fugitive slaves. It established a system for dividing the land into townships for sale, allocating land for schools, and provided the geometric grid pattern for land division that is still visible in the American landscape today.
As a result of the Northwest Ordinance, territories like Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin were able to join the Union as states, enhancing the expansion and organization of the United States.