What did the Northwest Ordinance make possible?

The Northwest Ordinance, enacted in 1787, established a framework for the governance and admission of new states in the Northwest Territory, which included areas that would become Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It outlined the process for territories to become states, ensuring they would enter the Union on equal footing with the original states. The ordinance also set important precedents regarding civil liberties, education, and the prohibition of slavery in the new territories, significantly shaping the expansion and development of the United States.