![]() We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, defender of the Faith, etc.: ![]() The full text of the Mayflower Compact is as follows: The Mayflower Compact was an early, successful attempt at democracy and undoubtedly played a role in future colonists seeking permanent independence from British rule and shaping the nation that eventually became the United States of America. Each town elected representatives to attend the court, thereby creating an early representative government. Under his leadership, Plymouth Colony started to thrive.Īs more and more settlers arrived and colonized the surrounding areas, a General Court was established. John Carver survived the hard winter of 1620 but died in April 1621, and the colonists chose William Bradford to replace him. It has been argued the Mayflower Compact’s role in cementing the colonists’ dedication to each other and their mission was critical to their endurance that first winter. Ravaged by starvation, disease and lack of shelter, more than half of the colonists died, yet Plymouth Colony survived. They decided on Plymouth, where the colonists endured a brutal winter. Search parties then went ashore to find an ideal place to settle. He’s also sometimes given credit for helping write the Mayflower Compact. They elected John Carver governor on November 21, 1620.Ĭarver had helped secure financing for the Mayflower expedition and served in a leadership role during the voyage to America. Once the colonists agreed to work together, the hard work of starting the colony began. ![]() READ MORE: How the Mayflower Compact Laid a Foundation for American Democracy Plymouth Colony On November 11, 1620, 41 adult male colonists, including two indentured servants, signed the Mayflower Compact, although it wasn’t called that at the time. With that in mind, they set out to create a temporary set of laws for ruling themselves as per majority agreement. The Pilgrims knew they needed as many productive, law-abiding souls as possible to make the colony successful. After all, establishing a New World colony would be difficult enough without dissent in the ranks. Pilgrim leaders wanted to quell the rebellion before it took hold. READ MORE: What's the Difference Between Puritans and Pilgrims? What Was the Mayflower Compact? ![]() The Pilgrims knew if something wasn’t done quickly it could be every man, woman and family for themselves. Pilgrim leader William Bradford later wrote, “several strangers made discontented and mutinous speeches.” The defiant strangers refused to recognize any rules since there was no official government over them. They felt since the Mayflower had landed outside of Virginia Company territory, they were no longer bound to the company’s charter. The strangers argued the Virginia Company contract was void. Just 41 were true Pilgrims, religious separatists seeking freedom from the Church of England.īut when the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts instead of Virginia, discord began before the colonists even left the ship. Of the 102 passengers on the Mayflower, there were 50 men, 19 women and 33 young adults and children. Knowing life without laws could prove catastrophic, colonist leaders created the Mayflower Compact to ensure a functioning social structure would prevail. But after treacherous shoals and storms drove their ship off course, the settlers landed in Massachusetts instead, near Cape Cod, outside of Virginia’s jurisdiction. When Pilgrims and other settlers set out on the ship for America in 1620, they intended to lay anchor in northern Virginia. The Mayflower Compact was a set of rules for self-governance established by the English settlers who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower. Why Was the Mayflower Compact Important?.What Was the Purpose of the Mayflower Compact?.
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