Final answer:
The Plymouth Colony set a precedent with the establishment of self-government and democratic principles through the Mayflower Compact and influenced future colonial governance and education in New England.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Plymouth Colony set an important precedent by establishing a form of self-government through the Mayflower Compact, a document signed in 1620 that embodied the practice of direct democracy and governmental structure reflecting the people’s will. The Pilgrims’ quest for religious freedom led them to leave England and eventually establish Plymouth Colony near present-day Boston. Here, they created a political system upon principles that contrasted with English tradition, including annual elections for governors and councilors, as well as a legislative body, the “General Court,” consisting initially of those who signed the Compact. While Plymouth remained small in population, it played a crucial role by setting examples for future New England colonies in government and education, as well as in industry, which was seen as a safeguard against idleness, the “work of the devil.” The colony's emphasis on Scripture and literacy helped shape the religious and educational landscape of New England, and in 1691, the larger Massachusetts Bay Colony, absorbing Plymouth, became a royal colony.