What is the Mayflower Compact known for?

The Mayflower Compact is recognized as the first agreement for self-government to be created and enforced in America. Drafted by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620, it established a framework for governance based on majority rule and mutual consent among the settlers. This was a pivotal moment because it laid the groundwork for future democratic principles by emphasizing the idea that authority derives from the consent of the governed.

This compact provided a rudimentary legal structure for the newly established colony and aimed to maintain order and cooperation among the settlers in a new and challenging environment. Its significance is often seen in how it set a precedent for self-rule and a community-based approach to governance, which would influence later democratic documents throughout American history.

The other options, while related to important historical concepts, do not accurately describe the Mayflower Compact. It was not a constitution, as it did not outline a detailed legal structure as constitutions do. Additionally, it was not a declaration of independence since that came later in 1776, nor was it the founding document of democracy in the colonies, although it did inspire democratic thought.