What document established a basis for self-government for the Pilgrims?

The Mayflower Compact is recognized as the document that established a basis for self-government for the Pilgrims. Signed in 1620 by the male passengers aboard the Mayflower, this compact was crafted in response to their need for order and governance once they arrived in what is now Massachusetts. Recognizing that they were outside of the jurisdiction of their original charter from the Virginia Company, the Pilgrims created a social contract agreeing to form a civil government and to abide by the rules created for the good of the colony.

The significance of the Mayflower Compact lies in its declaration of the principle of self-rule and the idea that government derives its authority from the consent of the governed. This early form of democracy laid a foundational precedent for future governing documents in America.

Other documents listed do not pertain to the self-governance of the Pilgrims. The Fundamental Orders, adopted in 1638, were a framework for government in Connecticut but came after the Mayflower Compact. The Carolina Constitution, written in 1669, was established for the Carolina colony and did not involve the Pilgrims. The Declaration of Independence, drafted in 1776, declared the colonies' independence from British rule and is unrelated to the governance structures established in the