Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was an agreement made in 1620 by the Pilgrims aboard the ship Mayflower. It established a basic form of self-government for the settlers who landed in what is now Massachusetts. Aimed at creating order and cooperation among the group, the Compact set the foundation for governing their new community based on majority rule. It was significant as one of the earliest examples of democratic governance in America, representing a commitment to work together for the common good and laying a precedent for future democratic principles in the United States.