The Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact, signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, was a groundbreaking agreement that established a framework for self-government in Plymouth Colony. The compact was created because the Pilgrims recognized the need for order and cooperation in their new settlement.

It stated that the colonists would work together for the good of the colony and make laws for the general welfare. This early form of democracy laid the groundwork for future governing documents in America.