What was the purpose of the Mayflower Compact?

The Mayflower Compact was established primarily to create a temporary government for the Pilgrims who settled in what is now Massachusetts in 1620. Upon arriving, the Pilgrims found themselves outside the jurisdiction of their original charter, which had been issued for their intended destination in Virginia. Faced with the need for order and governance in their new environment, they drafted the Compact as a framework for self-governance.

The Mayflower Compact set forth the idea of a social contract, where the signers agreed to form a civil body politic and abide by the laws and regulations that would be established for their colony. This was significant as it was one of the first instances of self-governance in the New World, laying the foundation for future democratic practices in America. The emphasis was less on independence from Britain or trade with Native Americans, and more focused on establishing a cooperative government among themselves to ensure the survival and functioning of their new settlement.