In the Mayflower Compact, why do the Pilgrims promise “all due submission and obedience”?

Answer 1

The Pilgrims promised "all due submission and obedience" in the Mayflower Compact for several reasons:

1. Covenant with God: The Pilgrims believed that their journey and settlement in the New World was a holy mission ordained by God. They saw themselves as God's chosen people and believed that they had to establish a just and orderly society in the New World. Promising submission and obedience to the agreed-upon laws and regulations was seen as part of their religious duty.

2. Maintaining Order: The Pilgrims understood the challenges and dangers of establishing a colony in an unknown land. They realized the importance of maintaining unity and order among the settlers to ensure the survival of their community. By promising submission and obedience, they sought to prevent divisions, conflicts, and chaos within their fledgling colony.

3. Social Contract: The Mayflower Compact was a social contract among the settlers, outlining the self-governing principles for their new colony. By promising submission and obedience, the Pilgrims acknowledged the importance of individuals' willingness to abide by the established rules and governance of the community in order to maintain social cohesion and stability. This was a mutual agreement among the settlers to submit to the authority of the community as a whole, promoting the common good.

4. Legal Authority: The Pilgrims were not granted permission to establish their colony in the specific location where they arrived. To legitimize their settlement and maintain order, the Mayflower Compact created a temporary government and established the settlers' commitment to obey its decisions and authority. By promising submission and obedience, the Pilgrims sought to establish a legitimate basis for their actions and to prevent any potential challenges to their authority.

Overall, by promising "all due submission and obedience," the Pilgrims aimed to create a united, orderly, and just society based on religious moral principles, social compact, and legal authority, essential for the survival and success of their new colony.