Final answer:
Under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, a territory needed to have 5,000 free male citizens to form a territorial government. When the population reached 60,000, the territory could draft a constitution and apply for statehood. The Ordinance established significant rights and a method for division and sale of land.
Step-by-step explanation:
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 outlined the process for forming a territorial government and the path to statehood for territories within the United States. In order to form a territorial government under this ordinance, a territory needed to have 5,000 free male citizens. Once this population threshold was reached, the inhabitants could elect a legislature. A governor would still be appointed by Congress up until the population reached 60,000 free male inhabitants, at which point the territory could draft a constitution, provided it preserved religious freedom and prohibited slavery, and apply for statehood. The Northwest Ordinance also had elements that shaped future U.S. policy, including the division and sale of public lands, and the establishment of rights such as trial by jury and religious liberty.