The correct answer is:
2. It outlined a process for creating new states on equal terms with the original 13 states.
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was an important piece of legislation that established a process for creating new states in the United States. It set guidelines for how territories could become states, ensuring that these new states would have equal status with the original 13 states. This helped to promote the growth and expansion of the United States by providing a framework for the incorporation of new territories into the Union.