Introduction“We, whose names are underwritten … enact, constitute, and frame such just and equall laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices … as shall be thought most meete and convenient for the generall good of the Colonie…” Show
ExplanationThese lines are from the Mayflower Compact, which was written to preserve unity and address tensions between the factions on the ship the Mayflower. Mayflower CompactEnglish settlers on the Mayflower wrote the Mayflower Compact in 1620. It established principles of self-government, common consent, and unity in the colony. The HistoryIn 1620, 102 men, women, and children arrived on the shores of Massachusetts. They had traveled from England and had received a charter from the Virginia Company to settle near the Hudson River, which was, at that time, part of Virginia. Harsh storms, however, forced them to anchor in Massachusetts instead, outside of Virginia Company territory. Of the 102 settlers, 41 were Pilgrims, or members of a Puritan sect called the Separatists, who wished to break away from the Church of England and form independent congregations. The Pilgrims hoped to practice religion more freely in the New World. The rest of the settlers were common people, including merchants, craftsmen, indentured servants, and orphans. Once the settlers anchored in Massachusetts, tensions between the two factions began to grow. The non-Pilgrims argued that the Virginia Company contract was void because they were outside of its jurisdiction. Some individuals threatened to leave the group and set out on their own. Leaders knew they needed to unite the settlers and provide a basic framework for self-governance in the absence of any other laws or rules. The document they wrote eventually came to be known as the Mayflower Compact. Although it is unclear exactly who wrote the Mayflower Compact, historians usually give university-educated Pilgrim William Brewster credit. The document is short - only 200 words long - and outlines fundamental principles rather than specifics. The Compact explains that the colonists would write and enact “laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices … for the general good of the colony.” The colonists would be bound to those laws, and would additionally pledge to work together to build a single society. Additionally, the Compact established that the colonists would adhere to the Christian faith. Though the Mayflower Compact was not a constitution and did not resolve the legal issues of settling outside of the Virginia Company’s jurisdiction, it was an essential step in establishing self-government in the colony. The Compact was signed by nearly all the adult male passengers on the Mayflower, including two indentured servants. Why Care?The Mayflower Compact was in effect until 1691, when the settlers’ Plymouth Colony joined the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Compact has been credited with helping the colonists survive their first brutal winter; it helped preserve unity and ensured that the colonists stood by their mission and each other. It also provided a government framework that maintained order and civil society in the absence of any other legal documents. Additionally, the Compact was the first document establishing self-government written in the New World. It marked an early push for democratic government and was important in cementing ideals of self-government and common consent in America. Many believe it influenced both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
After more than two horrendous months at sea, Cape Cod on the horizon must have been an extremely welcome sight for the men, women and children who had boarded the Mayflower on 16 September, 1620. With many suffering from crippling seasickness - after battling strong winds and monstrous waves during their epic 66-day voyage across the Atlantic - few of the 102 on board would have cared about missing their planned destination of Northern Virginia, and the Hudson River (today New York). But, with America almost close enough to touch, the battered and broken passengers knew their journey was far from over, for they had no right to settle on the land upon which they had unintentionally arrived. Of the 50 men on board the Mayflower, only 41 were classed as “true” Pilgrims, religious separatists seeking freedom from the Church of England. The others, meanwhile, were considered common folk and included merchants, craftsmen, indentured servants and orphaned children. They were referred to by the Pilgrims as “strangers”. The Pilgrims anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbour, Massachusetts, and decided to draw up an agreement that would give them some attempt at legal standing.  An illustration of the signing of the Mayflower Compact The Mayflower Compact - as it is known today - was signed by those 41 “true” Pilgrims on 11 November, 1620, and became the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It declared that the colonists were loyal to the King of England, that they were Christians who served God, that they would make fair and just laws, and that they would work together for the good of the Colony. The men also chose John Carver as Plymouth Colony’s first governor. The women and “strangers” were not allowed to vote. The 41 “true” Pilgrims who signed the Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower CompactThe original Mayflower Compact has been lost, but three slightly different versions exist from the 17th century. One was printed in ‘Mourt’s Relation’ in 1622, and was reprinted in ‘Purchas his Pilgrimes’ three years later, hand-written by William Bradford in his journal, ‘Of Plymouth Plantation’ in 1646 and printed by Bradford's nephew, Nathaniel Morton, in ‘New-Englands Memorial’ in 1669. The document itself read: In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereigne Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britaine, France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc. having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honour of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civill body politick, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just and equall laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete and convenient for the generall good of the Colonie unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape-Codd the 11. of November, in the year of the raigne of our sovereigne lord, King James, of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fiftie-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620. The signing of the Mayflower Compact. Video courtesy of SmokeSygnals and DKR Films A lasting legacyThe legacy of the Mayflower Compact lives on today and its significance has often been debated in the centuries since it was drawn up by the passengers of the ship. It has often been cited as providing the basis for modern American democracy and, while its influence may have been overstated, there can be no denying its importance in establishing a social contract for the settlers to live by. Its presence helped ensure order and survival in Plymouth Colony and the basis for self-governance which went on to inspire future generations. What was the impact of the Mayflower Compact on the colonies?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.
What impact do you think the Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut had on the creation of the United States government?Finally, as the first written constitution in the New World, the Mayflower Compact laid the foundations for two other revolutionary documents: the Declaration of Independence, which stated that governments derive their powers “from the consent of the governed,” and the Constitution.
What was the impact of the Mayflower Compact on the colonies quizlet?The Mayflower Compact set a precedent and was an influential document for the Founding Fathers as they created the US Constitution. The Mayflower Compact made a significant contribution to the creation of a new democratic nation which would become the United States of America.
What did the Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders have in common?The similarity between the Mayflower Compact, and the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is that in both documents it says that thy will be helped by G-d. This means that these people did not believe in separation from the church.
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What impact did the Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders have on Colonial America?
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