What was the Mayflower Compact and why is it significant?

• A. A treaty with Native Americans
• B. A colonial charter granting land
• C. A declaration of independence
• D. An early self-governing agreement by Plymouth settlers establishing rule of law and consent of the governed

Answer: (D)

Self-government through a social contract is what this document embodies. The Mayflower Compact was an early agreement among the Plymouth settlers to form a civil body politic and to create and follow laws for the general good of the colony. They signed it before disembarking, recognizing that they needed ordered rule and cooperation to survive in an unfamiliar land. It established the principle that laws would be made and followed with the consent of the governed, rather than by royal fiat alone.

Its significance lies in setting a precedent for self-rule and the idea that legitimate government arises from the consent of the people who are governed, with a basic commitment to the rule of law. This compact helped shape later colonial thinking about governance and influenced the development of constitutional ideals in America, contributing to the long arc toward representative government.

Note that it is not a treaty with Native Americans, not a charter granting land, and not a declaration of independence.