Mayflower Compact Research Paper

The Mayflower Compact was written on November 11, 1620 aboard the Mayflower. In September 1620, the Mayflower set sail for the New World. 102 passengers were aboard the ship. These passengers were Puritans, also known as, the Pilgrims. The Puritans were people who split from the Church of England. Everyone aboard was hoping for new work, freedom from religious persecution, and a better life. The voyage to the New World took 66 days. The composition of the Mayflower Compact began when the Pilgrims landed in Cape Cod, instead of Virginia. Because of this, they were outside of their charter from the Virginia Company. To establish their own government, they drew up an agreement on how they would run their new colony. This compliance became known as The Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower Compact is significant because it was the first self-governing document for the Plymouth Colony and is the framework …show more content…
Also, officials are elected by the people, just like how the Pilgrims did in their new land. The historical context of the Mayflower Compact is still relevant to our government today. The Mayflower Compact limitations made it possible for only 41 out of the 102 passengers to sign it. The first limiting factor was no women were permitted to take part in the composition and signing of the compact. Women had no rights during this time and therefore, were not allowed to have any say. Also, Native Americans and slaves were prohibited from signing. They were seen as weak and hopeless and the other men didn’t want them to sign the Mayflower Compact. Only white men were allowed to take part in the signing of the Mayflower Compact due to the limitations. The United States has come a long way since then. Today, women and men, whether white or black, rich or poor, are allowed to sign important documents and voice their opinion. They are also allowed to hold office. These rights are different from the rights of the people during the 17th