五月花公約

 五月花公約

殖民者深知自己無權定居在這片意外抵達的土地上，遂決議擬定一份文件以試圖建立法律地位。

五月花公約

五月花公約簽署場景插圖

抵達後，定居者們起草了《五月花公約》。這份由船上41名男子簽署的公約，是為殖民地整體利益而達成的合作協議。他們將透過投票解決問題，建立憲法法規並實行多數決。

文件內容如下：

奉上帝之名，阿門。我們，下述簽署者，乃我主君王詹姆斯陛下之忠誠臣民，蒙上帝恩典，為大不列顛、法蘭西及愛爾蘭之王，信仰捍衛者等。為彰顯上帝榮耀、推廣基督教信仰、榮耀吾王與祖國，決意航向維吉尼亞北部建立首座殖民地。茲於上帝與眾人見證下，鄭重立約結盟，組成文明政治團體，以完善治理、保障存續，並推進前述宗旨； 並據此制定、確立及修訂公正平等之法律、條例、法令、憲法及職位，凡經認定最為適宜且有益於殖民地整體福祉者，皆應隨時修訂，吾等承諾對此盡行順服與遵從。為此，我們於英格蘭、法蘭西及愛爾蘭之主君詹姆斯一世在位第十八年，蘇格蘭在位第五十四年，主曆一六二〇年十一月十一日，在科德角簽署此文。

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The Mayflower Compact

The colonists knew they had no right to settle in this land they had unintentionally arrived upon and decided to draw up a document that gave them some attempt at legal standing.

An illustration of the signing of the Mayflower Compact

So upon arrival the settlers drew up the Mayflower Compact. Signed by 41 men on board, the compact was an agreement to cooperate for the general good of the colony. They would deal with issues by voting, establish constitutional law and rule by the majority.

The document read:

In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereigne Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britaine, France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc. having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honour of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civill body politick, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just and equall laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete and convenient for the generall good of the Colonie unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape-Codd the 11. of November, in the year of the raigne of our sovereigne lord, King James, of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fiftie-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.