What process did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 outline for the admission of new states from the territories into the Union?

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established a significant framework for the governance of the Northwest Territory and outlined the process for admitting new states into the Union. The correct response highlights that this process was fundamentally based on population growth. Specifically, the ordinance stipulated that when a territory reached a population of 60,000 free inhabitants, it could petition for statehood. This created a clear pathway for territories to become states, encouraging settlement and development in the region.

Population growth was crucial, as the ordinance aimed to ensure that new states would have sufficient population to function effectively and represent the interests of their citizens in Congress. This process was a departure from earlier methods of territorial administration, emphasizing democratic principles by allowing residents to form a government and seek statehood once they had a stable and considerable population.

The other options, while they relate to state formation, do not accurately depict the mechanism instituted by the Northwest Ordinance. The focus on population reflects the ordinance's intention to balance growth with governance, which laid the groundwork for the future expansion of the United States.