Under the Northwest Ordinance, a new territory could apply for statehood when its population reached at least how many people?

Under the Northwest Ordinance, a new territory could apply for statehood when its population reached at least how many people?

• A. 25,000
• B. 50,000
• C. 60,000
• D. 100,000

Answer: (C)

The Northwest Ordinance set up a step-by-step path to statehood based on population. After a territory could govern itself, it had to reach a population of sixty thousand free inhabitants before it could draft a state constitution and apply to Congress for admission as a state. This milestone ensured enough people to support a functioning state government and representation. The smaller number for organizing a territorial government is about five thousand, but that isn’t enough for statehood. So the threshold for applying for statehood is sixty thousand.

The Northwest Ordinance set up a step-by-step path to statehood based on population. After a territory could govern itself, it had to reach a population of sixty thousand free inhabitants before it could draft a state constitution and apply to Congress for admission as a state. This milestone ensured enough people to support a functioning state government and representation. The smaller number for organizing a territorial government is about five thousand, but that isn’t enough for statehood. So the threshold for applying for statehood is sixty thousand.