For America250, which 1787 law organized the first U.S. territory outside the original states?

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 organized the first U.S. territory outside the original states.

Adopted by the Congress of the Confederation on July 13, 1787, the ordinance governed the territory northwest of the Ohio River. It created a path from territorial government to statehood and ultimately shaped the admission of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

The ordinance prohibited slavery in the territory, although it did not end slavery elsewhere in the United States. It also protected religious freedom, encouraged public education, and recognized certain rights in the territory.

The measure is sometimes confused with the Land Ordinance of 1785, which established a surveying system. The two laws addressed related western questions but served different purposes.