The Northwest Territory was a region in the United States established by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. It included land that would later become the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The territory was significant for its role in westward expansion and the establishment of new states. The Northwest Territory was the first area in the U.S. to be organized under federal governance. It provided a framework for the admission of new states and set important precedents for land management, education, and civil rights, influencing future territorial policies across the nation.