What was the significance of the Mayflower Compact?

The Mayflower Compact is significant primarily because it represented one of the earliest forms of self-government in the English colonies, embodying the principles of a social contract. Drafted and signed in 1620 by the passengers of the Mayflower, it was a pivotal agreement among the settlers, asserting that they would govern themselves through majority rule for the sake of order and survival in their new environment. This document laid the groundwork for democratic governance in America, emphasizing the collective decision-making of the settlers and their commitment to work together for the common good.

The context surrounding the Mayflower Compact highlights its importance, as the Pilgrims arrived in an area that was not included in their original Virginia Charter. They needed a framework for governance to maintain societal order, and thus the Compact became a foundational step towards establishing a government based on the consent of the governed, foreshadowing democratic principles that would be central to American democracy in the future.