Mayflower Significance

Have you ever wondered what life would have been like without rules or laws? Did you ever stop and think what could have been had the mayflower compact not been made of signed? The Mayflower Compact may be one of the many important documents created and signed, even to this day. Being that it was one of the first documents actually stating the first set of rules and laws of society, it certainly helped shape our nation as a whole. It enabled the pilgrims to act as one and be loyal to one another, not just between God and man. It helped prevent the chaos and havoc that would come of being in a “new world,” and would make living conditions, humane.

Aboard the Mayflower in the year 1620, over half of 102 male pilgrims signed the document. Allyn Cox depicts the events leading to and after the creation of the Mayflower compact. In the far left, you can see a tall Native American with a bow and arrow, standing next to a tree as if he were defending his land or his freedom. In the center, you can see the signing of the Mayflower Compact by the white, male pilgrims- which they did in order to keep the peace between each other and the people already on the lands (the Native Americans.) And clearly to the far right, you can see the settlement of the people on the land and the quickness of making it their home. Cox’s use of color and chronology of the events help restate what the Mayflower Compact’s intentions are; the intentions of living happily and humanely were that of the documents laws and rules. Also, Cox shows the men coming together as one, to sign and agree on the terms of the document. All signers believed that all the laws and rules should be followed by all and remain loyal to them, just like between God and man; they wanted that loyalty to be between each other as well. Cox does well in conveying the true definition of what the document was all about.

The Mayflower Compact helped build and establish the United States because without it, havoc would have occurred, disagreements would have arisen, and we certainly would not be here today. The significance of the Mayflower Compact simply is that, significant. It established a humane environment for all the people on the land of Plymouth.