The Pilgrims included the promise of "all due submission and obedience" in the Mayflower Compact to establish a framework for governance and maintain order among the diverse group of settlers. After arriving in an area that was outside the jurisdiction of the Virginia Company, the Pilgrims recognized the need for a set of rules by which they could peacefully coexist and make collective decisions. By agreeing to submit to the authority of this compact, they aimed to create a government that would protect their interests and promote the common good.
The phrase reflects their commitment to a social contract, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and cooperation. It also underscores their intention to cultivate a fair and orderly society based on shared values and collective governance, which was paramount for survival in the unfamiliar and challenging New World. This principle of submission and obedience also highlights a reverence for authority—whether civil or religious—that was significant in their Puritan beliefs.