Final answer:
The Mayflower Compact was significant because it provided a legal basis for self-government in a colony. It was a precursor to American democratic principles and the structure of the U.S. government, creating government by social contract among the Pilgrims. The correct option is d).
Step-by-step explanation:
Significance of the Mayflower Compact
The establishment of the Mayflower Compact was significant because it provided a legal basis for self-government in a colony.
This compact was signed by forty-one Pilgrim men aboard the Mayflower in 1620, creating a government by social contract, and binding them to a common purpose – to form a society and govern it according to their own rules and agreements.
It is often considered a precursor to later American governing documents but is not directly a model for all U.S. documents, nor does it establish a right to freedom of speech or outline the structure of the American government.
When the Pilgrims landed in an area not covered by their charter from the Virginia Company, they found themselves without legal standing or a predefined governmental structure. This necessitated the drafting of the Mayflower Compact to ensure order and cooperation among the members of the new society they were forming.
Over time, as the colony grew, the General Court developed from the Mayflower Compact signatories into a representative body, leading to the adoption of the Fundamentals of Plymouth, which established rights such as habeas corpus and the right to a jury trial.
The influence of the Mayflower Compact can be seen in the development of American democratic principles and the eventual structure of the U.S. government. Hence, option d) is the correct one.