Final answer:
The Mayflower Compact was a foundational document establishing a social contract for self-rule among Pilgrims, signed in 1620, and remained the basis of governance in Plymouth Colony until it merged with Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1692.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Mayflower Compact was a seminal document signed by forty-one Pilgrim men on board the Mayflower in 1620, establishing self-rule and a government based on social contract among the settlers. It served not only as a means to maintain social order but also embodied the principles of democracy and common purpose that were deemed necessary for the survival and governance of the new colony, which was without a formal charter upon landing in New England. The compact was recognized as the first American governing document and was in effect until Plymouth Colony merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1692.