OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
Primary Source: The Mayflower Compact
About Official Documents:
Official documents take many forms, including the text of a law or proclamation, government reports, and the minutes from a
legislative meeting. Such documents are generally made public so the average citizen can read, analyze, and discuss them. In this
way, citizens can become informed about actions that affect them and their communities.
As you read an official document, ask yourself these questions:
1. Who wrote this document, and what is the document's main purpose?
2. What situation gave rise to the creation of the document?
Inside the Mayflower
See a cut-away showing the passengers and crew of the Mayflower as they may have been during the 1620 voyage.
Old English
Spelling and usage in English have changed since 1620. The original Mayflower Compact has disappeared, but the version
below shows the spelling and punctuation given in Of Plimoth Plantation, by William Bradford, second governor of Plymouth
colony.
"In ye name of God Amen. We whose names are underwritten, 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 ye Northerne parts of
Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in ye presence of God, and one of another, covenant, & combine ourselves
togeather into a Civill body politick; for our better ordering, & preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hereof to
enacte, constitute, and frame such just & equall Lawes, ordinances, Acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be
thought most meete & convenient for ye generall good of ye colonie: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes
whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd ye -11- of November, in ye year of ye raigne of our soveraigne Lord
King James of England, France, & Ireland ye eighteenth, and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano Dom. 1620."
The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower reached what is now Provincetown Harbor, off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in 1620. Before the landing, 41 male
passengers on the ship signed a binding agreement that set up a basis for self-government. This document became known as the
Mayflower Compact.
In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal
Dread:
awesome
subjects of the dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God,
of Great Britain, France, and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc.
Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the
Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the
Presents:
this very
document
first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents
solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another,
Covenant: a
binding
agreement
covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our
Constitute:
establish
and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal
better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends afore said;
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.
Subscribed:
signed
In witness whereof we have here under subscribed our names at Cape
Cod the 11 of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign Lord
King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of
Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini 1620.
Questions
1. What are the three reasons the colonists give for their voyage to the eastern seaboard of North
America?
2. What did the signers promise to do?