The Mayflower Compact: 1620

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American History

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It is not clear of who wrote the Mayflower Compact, bit credit is given to William Brewster, a well-educated separatist and pastor. Myles Standish is the famous colonist who signed the Mayflower Compact, he was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims to accompany them to the New World serving as a military leader for the colony. He played a significant role in the new law enforcement as well as the protection of the colonists against the unfriendly natives from America. The Mayflower Compact was written in the year 1620 upon the arrival by the Pilgrims at Massachusetts. The document was written by the settlers to govern them in their new land so as to avoid possible mutiny amongst themselves.

The Mayflower Compact was the first set of rule for self-governance in the United States that was established by the English settlers travelling to the new world on the Mayflower. When the Pilgrims and the other settlers set out on the ship for America in the year 1620, their intention was to anchor in northern Virginia. Unfortunately, their ship sailed off to the shores of Massachusetts near Cape Cod due to the treacherous shoals and storms. Massachusetts was far off Virginia’s jurisdiction and knowing that life without laws would be hectic and would prove catastrophic, 41 out of the 101 leaders created the Mayflower Compact to act as a guide for a fictional social structure.

From the Mayflower Compact, there are several point that the author noted:

The colonists would remain to be loyal subjects to King James of England despite their need for self-governance.

The settlers would live in accordance with the Christian faith

The settlers would create one society and work in unison to promote its excellence

The colonists would create laws, acts, ordinances and constitutions for the good of the colony.

The colonists would abide to the enacted laws and acts for a unified and orderly society.

Thesis statement

The Mayflower Compact of 1620 is a vital document in the study of the American history as it is the first governance document to be signed by the colonists at Massachusetts. It is from this document that we come to know the intent of the Pilgrims and to whom they paid allegiance to as well as the reason for visiting the new world.

Bibliography

Bradford, William. “Mayflower Compact. 1620.”

Mayflower Compact: 1620. The Avalon Project. Retrieved from: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/mayflower.aspRoark, James, Michael Johnson, Patricia Cline Cohen, Sarah Stage, and Susan Hartmann. Understanding the American Promise: A History, Volume I: To 1877, 3rd edition. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016.

The Mayflower Compact. Agreement between the Settlers at New Plymouth: 1620. Retrieved from: http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/score_lessons/symbols_freedom/pages/mayflower.html