Final answer:
The Northwest Ordinance primarily outlined the process for territories to achieve statehood, requiring a population guideline, a prohibition on slavery, and the protection of religious freedom.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Northwest Ordinance mainly discussed how the states should become a part of the United States. It set a precedent for how territories could transition to statehood, and it laid the foundation for governance in these territories before they achieved full state status. Strikingly, it also included provisions that barred slavery and required the protection of fundamental rights such as religious freedom.
Initially, territories with fewer than 5,000 white adult males were governed by a federally appointed governor and judges. When the population reached between 5,000 and 60,000, territories could elect a legislature though the governor was still federally appointed. Upon exceeding 60,000 inhabitants, a territory could draft a state constitution, which had to include the prohibition of slavery and guarantee religious freedom, and then apply for statehood.
Furthermore, the Northwest Ordinance had additional provisions involving land distribution and defining the geometrical division of townships for better management and sale. It set aside land for public schools and disallowed slavery, except as a punishment for crime, within the territory while making provisions for the return of runaway slaves.