The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was drafted by the Pilgrims while they were still aboard the Mayflower and prior to their disembarking. It was signed on November 11, 1620 in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod. The purpose of the Mayflower Compact was to prevent the passengers who were members of the Church of England from leaving the Pilgrims and creating their own colony. The Pilgrims were people who separated from the Church of England to follow their beliefs. Those who threatened to leave were non-pilgrims possessing skills needed for survival.

Original spelling and uneditted text from the History of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford (1590-1657), second governor of Plymouth:

In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereigne Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc., having undertaken, for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith, and honour of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northerne parts of Virginia, doe, by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just and equall laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time as shall be thought most meete and convenient for the generall good of the Colonie unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd the II. of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereigne lord, King James of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fiftie-fourth. Anno. Dom. 1620.

The Compact was signed by the following 41 passengers:

• John Carver
• Digery Priest
• William Brewster
• Edmund Margesson
• John Alden
• George Soule
• James Chilton
• Francis Cooke
• Moses Fletcher
• John Ridgate
• Christopher Martin
• William Mullins
• Thomas English
• John Howland
• Stephen Hopkins
• Edward Winslow
• Gilbert Winslow
• Miles Standish
• Richard Bitteridge
• Francis Eaton
• John Tilly
• John Billington
• Thomas Tinker
• Samuel Fuller
• Richard Clark
• John Allerton
• Richard Warren
• Edward Liester
• William Bradford
• Thomas Williams
• Isaac Allerton
• Peter Brown
• John Turner
• Edward Tilly
• John Craxton
• Thomas Rogers
• John Goodman
• Edward Fuller
• Richard Gardiner
• William White
• Edward Doty