What critical social issue was addressed by the Northwest Ordinance concerning slavery?

The Northwest Ordinance, enacted in 1787, was a significant legislative measure that established a framework for the governance of the Northwest Territory, which included present-day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. A crucial aspect of the Ordinance was its clear stance on the issue of slavery; it explicitly prohibited the practice of slavery in the territories north of the Ohio River. This prohibition was a pivotal moment in American history, as it established a precedent for the limitation of slavery's spread into new states and territories, contributing to the growing sectional tensions between free and slave states. By ensuring that the newly created states in this region would be free, the Northwest Ordinance played a fundamental role in shaping the future of slavery and the balance of power in the United States.