Which document established a framework for colonial self-government by agreeing to rules among the settlers?

Which document established a framework for colonial self-government by agreeing to rules among the settlers?

• A. Mayflower Compact
• B. Magna Carta
• C. English Bill of Rights
• D. Common Sense

Answer: (A)

Self-government in the colonies starts with people agreeing on rules to guide their community. The Mayflower Compact did just that. Signed in 1620 by the settlers aboard the Mayflower, it created a civil body politic and established that laws would be made and followed with the consent of the governed. By agreeing to govern themselves and choosing leaders through this compact, the settlers set up a practical framework for how Plymouth Colony would be run, based on mutual agreement and majority rule rather than fear or royal decree. The other documents came from different contexts: Magna Carta limited the English king’s power centuries earlier; the English Bill of Rights laid out limits on the monarchy and expanded Parliament’s power; Common Sense argued for independence but did not establish a governing structure among the settlers.

Self-government in the colonies starts with people agreeing on rules to guide their community. The Mayflower Compact did just that. Signed in 1620 by the settlers aboard the Mayflower, it created a civil body politic and established that laws would be made and followed with the consent of the governed. By agreeing to govern themselves and choosing leaders through this compact, the settlers set up a practical framework for how Plymouth Colony would be run, based on mutual agreement and majority rule rather than fear or royal decree.

The other documents came from different contexts: Magna Carta limited the English king’s power centuries earlier; the English Bill of Rights laid out limits on the monarchy and expanded Parliament’s power; Common Sense argued for independence but did not establish a governing structure among the settlers.