Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
In England during the early 17th century, there was a group of Puritans who strongly believed that the Anglican Church was corrupt and in need of reform. Dissatisfied with the Church's practices, these Puritans formed their own congregations and churches, which they believed to be more in line with their religious beliefs and values.
These Separatists, as they came to be known, faced opposition and persecution from the Anglican Church and the English government. In 1620, a group of Separatists who had become known as Pilgrims decided to leave England and seek religious freedom in the New World.
The Pilgrims initially planned to settle in Virginia, which was then under the control of the Virginia Company. However, their journey was fraught with difficulties, and they were thrown off course by storms and strong winds. As a result, they ended up landing outside the territory that had been granted to the Virginia Company, meaning that they had no legal authority to settle there.
To address this problem, the Pilgrims drew up a legal document known as the Mayflower Compact. This document outlined the principles of self-government and gave the Pilgrims the legal authority to establish a settlement in their new location.
The Mayflower Compact was a significant milestone in the history of the United States, as it established the principles of self-government and democracy that would later become a cornerstone of American society. The Pilgrims' settlement in the New World also paved the way for the colonization of North America by Europeans, which would have far-reaching consequences for the indigenous peoples of the continent.