Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Prep Guide for Exam Success!

The Mayflower Compact is recognized as a foundational document for self-government among the Plymouth Colonists. Signed by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in November 1620, it was an agreement to create a civil government and abide by its laws and regulations for the general good of the colony. This was significant because it established a precedent for modern democratic governance in the New World by asserting that the authority of government derives from the consent of the governed.

The creation of the Mayflower Compact was particularly crucial given the political context of its signing; the Pilgrims had landed outside the jurisdiction of their charter, which raised questions about their legal right to establish a colony. They responded to this challenge by forming a collective agreement that allowed them to govern themselves. The Compact emphasized community and cooperation, which were vital for the survival and success of the early settlement.

The other documents listed lack the specific historical context pertaining to the Plymouth Colonists. For example, the Fundamental Order of Connecticut established a framework for government in 1638 but was developed after the Mayflower Compact. The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States in 1781, and the Declaration of Rights is not tied to the early governance of the Plymouth Colony, making them