The Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was a social agreement signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims aboard the ship Mayflower. It served as a way to establish order and self-governance among the colonists before they reached their destination in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The compact outlined the principles of majority rule and cooperative decision-making, emphasizing their commitment to creating a fair and obedient government based on their collective interests. It is considered one of the first forms of self-governance by European settlers in North America, laying a foundation for future democratic practices.