The Mayflower Compact and Early Self-Government

The Mayflower Compact and Early Self-Government

The Mayflower Compact was developed in 1620 by the Pilgrims on the Mayflower itself. It was the document that was used to form the government of the Plymouth Colony. The Pilgrims’ settlement outside the spot of their legal right to the land, Virginia, forced it. Without an established government, society threatened to disintegrate, so an agreement was needed to create the foundation of a working self-polity.

Evaluate why the Mayflower Compact was Necessitated

The Mayflower Compact was prompted by the Pilgrims’ realization that they required a means to put into practice their approach to social order and survival in the New World. As they left the ancient Virginia region, they were compelled to do without a formal legal system of government. The Compact enabled them to form a civil body of politics to guarantee the settlers’ cooperation for the colony’s survival.

Describe in what Ways the Mayflower Compact Contributed to Early Self-Government

The Mayflower Compact played a role in early self-governance, setting the governance structure in the framework of the principle of the consent of the governed (Corbett et al.,2017). This was one of the initial efforts toward the democratic system in the New World, whereby the settlers pledged to be bound by laws and regulations they were to pass themselves. This is perhaps one of the initial attempts to exercise autonomy in the colonies, which provided the foundation for democracy.

Analyze how the Mayflower Compact Set Precedence for American Democracy

The Mayflower Compact set a precedent for American democracy by introducing the idea of rule by the people through elected representatives. It laid the legal and social groundwork for establishing democratic institutions like town meetings and colonial assemblies later in the future (Bensel, 2022). When the US Constitution and current US democracy were drafted, it promoted the idea of collective decision-making in a society that held individuals accountable for their decisions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Mayflower Compact was a necessary response to the Pilgrims and later became a basis for the colonies’ self-organization. This greatly helped in formulating early American democratic governance. As such, it remains an example of Americans’ focus on principles of decision-making and representative democracy.

References

Bensel, R. (2022). The Opening Dilemma: Why Democracies Cannot Found Themselves. Studies in American Political Development, 36(2), 104–119. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0898588x22000128

Corbett, P. S., Janssen, V., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T. J., Vickery, P. S., & Roberts, O. (2017). US history. OpenStax.

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The Mayflower Compact and Early Self-Government

Introduction

Evaluate why the Mayflower Compact was necessitated.

Describe in what ways the Mayflower Compact contributed to early self-government.

Analyze how the Mayflower Compact set precedence for American democracy.

Conclusion