Final answer:
The Northwest Territory would be governed by a governor appointed by Congress, according to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. This ordinance set out the guidelines for territorial government and the process for statehood, including population requirements and a prohibition on slavery in the territories.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Northwest Territory would be divided into smaller territories with a governor appointed by Congress. The process by which territories could transition to statehood was outlined by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, an important piece of legislation that played a crucial role in the expansion and governance of the United States. Initially, a territory would be governed by a governor and a three-judge panel appointed by the Confederation Congress if it had fewer than 5,000 white adult males. With a population of 5,000 to 60,000 white male inhabitants, territories could elect a legislature, though the governor was still appointed by Congress. The Northwest Ordinance also established a grid system for the surveying and sale of land, a pattern still visible in the American landscape today. Additionally, this legislation prohibited slavery in the new territories, with particular stipulations, and provided the framework for the admission of new states into the Union.