In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are written below, the loyal subjects of our Lord King James, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain... Having undertaken. a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these words promise and combine ourselves into a civil political body, for our better ordering and preservation of our society in the New World ...to enact. just and equal laws, ordinances, acts. for the general good of the colony, which we promise... to be chosen by majority rule. 3a) What form of govemment was in place in Great Britain in 1620, when the Pilgrims left to establish a colony in the new world?

Question

In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are written below, the loyal subjects of our Lord King James, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain... Having undertaken. a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these words promise and combine ourselves into a civil political body, for our better ordering and preservation of our society in the New World ...to enact. just and equal laws, ordinances, acts. for the general good of the colony, which we promise... to be chosen by majority rule. 3a) What form of govemment was in place in Great Britain in 1620, when the Pilgrims left to establish a colony in the new world?
3b) How did the signers of the Mayflower compact plan to make decisions for their colony? Cite evidence to support your claim.
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3c) How was the new government (civil political body] similar or different from the monarchy in Great Britain?
3d) How were the signers of the Mayflower compact impacted by the Magna Carta Cite evidence from document 3 to support your claims.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

Let's break down your questions regarding the Mayflower Compact and its historical context:

3a) What form of government was in place in Great Britain in 1620, when the Pilgrims left to establish a colony in the New World?

In 1620, Great Britain was under a constitutional monarchy, where King James I ruled. Although the monarchy held significant power, the monarchy was balanced by the presence of Parliament. However, the King had considerable authority over matters of governance, including laws and policies.

3b) How did the signers of the Mayflower Compact plan to make decisions for their colony? Cite evidence to support your claim.

The signers of the Mayflower Compact planned to make decisions for their colony by establishing a system of majority rule. The document states that they would "enact just and equal laws, ordinances, acts…to be chosen by majority rule." This phrase indicates that decisions would be made collectively with the agreement of the majority, thus promoting a form of democratic governance within the colony, contrasting with the autocratic rule of the monarchy in Britain.

3c) How was the new government (civil political body) similar or different from the monarchy in Great Britain?

The new government established by the signers of the Mayflower Compact was different from the monarchy in several key ways:

Basis of Authority: While the monarchy derived its authority from the divine right of kings, the Mayflower Compact was based on the consent of the governed. The colonists agreed to form a "civil political body" which was a more participatory form of governance.
Decision-Making Process: The Compact introduced a decision-making process rooted in majority rule, unlike the monarchy, where decisions were made by the king or queen without input from the subjects.
Promotion of Laws for the General Good: The new government explicitly mentioned the intention to create laws for "the general good of the colony," emphasizing a communal approach to governance. This contrasts with the potentially self-serving interests of a monarchy.

3d) How were the signers of the Mayflower Compact impacted by the Magna Carta? Cite evidence from document 3 to support your claims.

The signers of the Mayflower Compact were influenced by the principles established in the Magna Carta (1215), which set forth ideas about limited government and the rights of individuals. The Magna Carta laid the groundwork for the development of parliamentary democracy in England and the recognition that the monarch’s powers were not absolute.

While the specific reference to the Magna Carta may not be directly stated in the provided excerpt, the very act of forming a compact to govern themselves indicates an awareness of the need for accountable governance and protection of individual rights akin to those established in the Magna Carta. The phrase "just and equal laws" signifies their intention to protect the welfare of the community, similar to how the Magna Carta sought to uphold the rights of barons against the king's arbitrary rule. This reflects an understanding of shared governance and rights, drawing upon the legacy of the Magna Carta.