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Leading up to the Mayflower Compact. Margaret Johnson Social Science 102. If they looked behind them, there was the mighty ocean which they had passed…to separate them from all the civil parts of the world. -- William Bradford.
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Leading up to the Mayflower Compact Margaret Johnson Social Science 102
If they looked behind them, there was the mighty ocean which they had passed…to separate them from all the civil parts of the world. -- William Bradford
The Pilgrims who came to America in 1620, were mainly a group of Christians called Separatists. Because of the persecution of Separatists by the Church-State system of government in England, one group of Separatists had moved to the United States of the Netherlands in 1608, but became dissatisfied with conditions there and decided their hope lay in the new land of America.
Delfhaven? Southhampton? Dartmouth? No, Plymouth. In 1620, on July 12th (O.S. = Old Style), they left Delfthaven…
The exhausting voyage took 66 days and claimed 2 lives. However, they still arrived with 102 souls, since a boy, "Oceanus Hopkins", was born at sea in route, and another, "Peregrine White", was born as the ship anchored at Cape Cod.
After anchoring inside the tip of Cape Cod (in Provincetown harbor) The Mayflower Compact, "the first plan for a self-determining government in America", was drawn up and signed by 41 men aboard the Mayflower on November 11th, 1620 (O.S.). This agreement was thought necessary because there were rumors that some of the non-Separatists, called "Strangers," among the passengers would defy the Pilgrims if they landed in a place other than that specified in the land grant they had received from the London Company. The compact became the basis of a Body Politick (temporary government) in the Plymouth Colony. After it was signed, the Pilgrims elected John Carver as their first governor. They were to meet in a yearly "General Court to elect the governor and assistants. enact laws, and levy taxes."
Peace Treaty with Massasoit, 1621 • That neither he nor any of his should injure or do hurt to any of our people. • 2. And if any of his did hurt to any of ours, he should send the offender, that we might punish him. • 3. That if any of our tools were taken away when our people were at work, he should cause them to be restored; and if ours did any harm to any of his, we would do the like to them. • 4. If any did unjustly war against him, we would aid him; if any did war against us, he should aid us. • 5. He should send to his neighbor confederates, to certify them of this, that they might not wrong us, but might be likewise comprised in the conditions of peace. • 6. That when their men came to us, they should leave their bows and arrows behind them, as we should do our pieces when we came to them. • Lastly, that doing thus, King James would esteem of him as his friend and ally.