United States Postal Department, Bureau of Printing and Engraving. "5 cent United States postage stamp issued in 1920 to celebrate the tercentenary of the signing of the Mayflower Compact in 1620." 1920. Stamp. Retrieved from: http://www.usphila.com/stamps/us/550/us-stamp-price-scott-550-1920-5-cents-pilgrim-tercentenary-spinkshreves-151-320.jpg.
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Mayflower Compact:
An Agreement for Self-Government and Majority Rule
The Mayflower Compact is a significant historical document that played a crucial role in the establishment of self-government and majority rule in the early American colonies. This compact, signed by the majority of men aboard the Mayflower ship, served as an agreement to form a political body and empower it to create laws for the benefit of the colony. It also served as a model for the development of representative government in the future.
In the year 1620, a group of English Separatists known as the Pilgrims embarked on a perilous journey across the Atlantic Ocean in search of religious freedom. They set sail aboard the Mayflower, reaching the shores of what is now known as Cape Cod, Massachusetts. However, they found themselves outside the boundaries of the Virginia Company's territory, which granted them permission to settle.
Realizing the need for order and a system of governance, the Pilgrims came together to draft and sign the Mayflower Compact. This document was an agreement among the male passengers of the ship to establish a self-governing colony. It was the first written framework for government in the New World and laid the foundation for the principles of democracy and the rule of law.
The Mayflower Compact outlined the principles of majority rule and social contract theory. It stated that the signers would create "civil body politic" and "combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation." The compact acknowledged the authority of the King of England while asserting the settlers' intention to create laws for the general good of the colony and abide by them.
The compact emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation among the colonists. It stated that the laws enacted would be for the "general good of the colony" and required the settlers to "submit ourselves to such government and governors as shall be chosen by the majority." This concept of majority rule reflected the democratic ideals that would later shape the American government.
The Mayflower Compact served as a temporary governing document until a more formal charter could be obtained from the King. It established a framework for decision-making and the election of leaders within the colony. The signers agreed to abide by the laws and decisions made by the majority, ensuring a fair and just system of governance.
The impact of the Mayflower Compact extended beyond the Plymouth Colony. It provided a model for the development of representative government in other colonies and laid the groundwork for the broader concept of self-government in the American colonies. The principles outlined in the compact influenced the drafting of future colonial charters and later the United States Constitution.
In conclusion, the Mayflower Compact was a pivotal agreement that established the idea of self-government and majority rule in the early American colonies. By signing this compact, the Pilgrims set an important precedent for the development of representative government and the protection of individual rights. The principles embodied in the Mayflower Compact continue to shape the democratic principles of the United States today.
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