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Primary sourceDocument1620

Mayflower Compact

1620

The founding governing agreement of Plymouth Colony, signed by the settlers Squanto later served as interpreter and guide.

The founding agreement of the colony Squanto would soon serve as interpreter and guide.

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Painting of a group of 17th-century European men and a woman in a low, timber-beamed room gathered around a wooden table on which a large paper lies. Men in hats and ruffs look on; a seated bearded man in a black hat watches; a woman in a white cap stands at right knitting.
Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth (Mayflower Compact), 1620.

About this source

What it is

The Mayflower Compact, originally titled Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth, was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written and signed by 41 of the Mayflower's passengers aboard ship on 21 November 1620, off Cape Cod.

Why it matters

This document shows how the Pilgrims organized themselves into a self-governing community before even stepping ashore. It is background to Squanto's story: these were the people he would soon meet, interpret for, and guide. Understanding how the colony governed itself helps explain the world Squanto entered when he began working with the settlers.

Look closer

  • Why did the passengers feel they needed to create this agreement before landing?
  • What does the document reveal about the settlers' relationship with the English king?
  • What does the Compact leave out about the Native peoples already living in the region?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Tisquantum (Squanto) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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