How was the northwest territory initially governed under the northwest ordinance of 1787?

Northwest Ordinance. The Northwest Ordinance (formally An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States, North-West of the River Ohio, and also known as the The Ordinance of 1787) was an act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States (the Confederation Congress), passed July 13, 1787

More often then not, yes.