What provided the basis for governing western lands and developing them into states?

The answer is the Northwest ordinance for they were able to provide the basis for governing westernlands and having them to be converted and to be developed in to states. They have gathered 5000 adults males in an assembly and have a total of 60,000 in an equivalent to a state. They were all in the area of the Illinois, Wicsonin, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.