The Mayflower Compact
In 1620, the small sailing vessel Mayflower set out across the stormy waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Plymouth, England with a patent for the northern part of the Colony of Virginia. Blown off course, it finally dropped anchor off Provincetown on Cape Cod early in November. Most of the 102 passengers were of English origin, Pilgrims seeking a new home free from religious persecution where they might retain their English identity and customs. Some, however, had been hired to supply much needed expertise essential for founding a new community in a new land. Because their landing was outside their patent area, there was dissent among the passengers as to whether or not they still needed to follow their signed agreements concerning their working within the colony. To combat this, the Pilgrims drew up a civil document which established the system by which they wished to govern themselves. This document has come to be known as the Mayflower Compact. It was signed in the cabin of the Mayflower by all 41 of the adult male passengers on the 21st of November, 1620. (November 11 Old Style). John Quincy Adams, 6th U.S. President, described the Mayflower Compact as the "first example in modern times of a social compact or system of government instituted by voluntary agreement conformable to the laws of nature, by men of equal rights and about to establish their community in a new country." President Adams' 3rd Great Grandfather was John Alden |
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THE COMPACT
Presented in the Style as Originally Written
Spelling and punctuation have not been modernized.
In ye name of God, Amen. We whofe are underwriten, the Loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord King James by ye grace of God, of Great Britaine, Franc, & Ireland King, defender of ye faith, &c. Haveing undertaken, for ye glorie of God, and advancemente of ye Christian faith and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in the Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant & combine our felves togeather into a civill body politick, for our better ordering & prefervation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof to enacte, constitute, and frame fuch just & equall Lawes, ordinances, Acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as fhall be thought most meete & convenient for ye generall good of ye Colonie, unto which we promife all due submission and obedience. In witnes wherof we have hereunder subfcribed our names at Cap-Codd ye .11. of November, in ye year of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord King James, of England, France, & Ireland ye eighteenth, and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: dom. 1620.
Signers:
| ! John Carver | * Richard Warren | ! John Turner | ! Edward Margeson |
| *@ William Bradford | * @ John Howland | * @ Francis Eaton | * Peter Brown |
| * Edward Winslow | * Stephen Hopkins | * ! @ James Chilton | ! Richard Britteridge |
| * @ William Brewster | ! @ Edward Tilley | ! John Crackstone | * @ George Soule |
| * @ Isaac Allerton | * ! @John Tilley | * John Billington | ! Richard Clarke |
| * @ Myles Standish | * @ Francis Cooke | ! # Moses Fletcher | Richard Gardiner |
| * John Alden | * ! @ Thomas Rogers | ! John Goodman | ! John Allerton |
| * @ Samuel Fuller | ! Thomas Tinker | * ! @ Degory Priest | ! Thomas English |
| ! Christopher Martin | ! John Ridgdale | ! Thomas Williams | * Edward Doty |
| * ! William Mullins | * ! @ Edward Fuller | Gilbert Winslow | Edward Leister |
| * ! @ William White |
| @ Originally a passenger on the Speedwell | |
| ! Died the first winter | |
| * Has known descendants now living | |
| # Moses Fletcher's family never came to America. All known descendants reside in the Netherlands | |