Simone Lawson
The Mayflower Compact, once called the 'Plymouth Combination', is the first constitution known to have been written in the New World. Drafted aboard the Mayflower before the Pilgrims from Holland and their fellow travellers landed in North America, it was signed on November 11, 1620, by the 41 men on the ship. The Compact was regarded as law until 1686. The Constitution of the United States of America was written in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Mayflower Compact |
| Other names | Plymouth Combination |
| Date written | 11 November 1620 |
| Location written | Aboard the Mayflower |
| Signatories | 41 men |
| Date in force | Until 1686 |
| Purpose | To create a civil Body Politick for the better ordering, preservation and furtherance of the colony |
| Legal status | Law |
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What You'll Learn
The Mayflower Compact was the first constitution written in the New World
The Compact was once called the 'Plymouth Combination'. It was written before the Pilgrims and their fellow travellers landed in North America. The signatories to the Compact pledged to:
> 'covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid: And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.'
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The Compact was signed by 41 men on the Mayflower ship in 1620
The Constitution of the United States of America was written in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention. This was called to amend the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution.
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The Compact was regarded as law until 1686
The Mayflower Compact was regarded as law until 1686. It was the first constitution known to have been written in the New World, drafted aboard the Mayflower before the Pilgrims from Holland and their fellow travellers landed in North America. It was signed on 11 November 1620 by the 41 men on the ship. The Mayflower Compact was once called the 'Plymouth Combination'.
The Compact was a pledge by the signatories to "covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid: And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience".
The United States Constitution was written in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention. This was called to amend the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution.
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The Constitution was written in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Mayflower Compact is the first constitution known to have been written in the New World. Drafted aboard the Mayflower before the Pilgrims from Holland and their fellow travellers landed in North America, it was signed on November 11, 1620, by the 41 men on the ship.
The Compact was regarded as law until 1686. Colonies, states, and eventually the nation as a whole continued to rely on written documents to create their own identities and limit government powers.
The Constitution was the product of political compromise after long and often rancorous debates over issues such as states' rights, representation, and slavery. Delegates from small and large states disagreed over whether the number of representatives in the new federal legislature should be the same for each state or different depending on a state's population.
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The Constitution was a product of political compromise
The Constitution was not the first written constitution in the New World, however. The Mayflower Compact, once called the 'Plymouth Combination', was the first constitution known to have been written in the New World. It was drafted aboard the Mayflower before the Pilgrims from Holland landed in North America, and was signed on November 11, 1620, by the 41 men on the ship. The signatories pledged their common loyalty to King James I and to "covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid". The Mayflower Compact was regarded as law until 1686.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Mayflower Compact is the first constitution known to have been written in the New World.
The Mayflower Compact was signed on November 11, 1620, by the 41 men on the ship.
The Mayflower Compact was regarded as law until 1686. It was a pledge by the signatories to "covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid".
The Mayflower Compact was significant because it sowed the seeds of American democracy and contributed to the idea of a written constitution, which is one of America's most important contributions to government.
The first written constitution of the United States was the Articles of Confederation, written in 1781. The current Constitution was written in 1787 and amended the Articles of Confederation.
