The pilgrims created the mayflower compact when they were anchored off the shore of Massachusetts. when did they not create a government before leaving England?
The pilgrims did not create a government before leaving England.
The Pilgrims did not create a government before leaving England because they were still under the governance of the British monarchy. However, they sought more religious freedom and autonomy, which led them to travel to the New World in 1620 on the Mayflower. It was after their arrival, while anchored off the shore of Massachusetts, that they created the Mayflower Compact as a temporary governing document for their new settlement.
The Pilgrims did not create a government before leaving England because they were not yet an organized group with a common purpose. At the time, they were still part of the Church of England but faced religious persecution due to their dissenting beliefs. When they decided to leave England and establish a new settlement in America, their primary goal was to practice their own religious beliefs freely.
It's essential to note that the Pilgrims were not seeking to create a government initially. Their main concern was to find a safe haven where they could worship without interference. Their voyage on the Mayflower was intended to bring them to the English Colony in Virginia, where they had been granted permission to settle. However, due to navigational issues and the onset of winter, they ended up anchoring off the coast of Massachusetts instead.
Upon realizing that they were outside the jurisdiction of the Virginia Colony, and faced with the possibility of dissent among the non-Pilgrim passengers on the ship, the Pilgrims decided to establish a governing agreement to maintain order and prevent potential conflicts. This agreement, known as the Mayflower Compact, was a social contract that created a basic framework for self-government in their new settlement.
So, to answer your question, the Pilgrims did not create a government before leaving England because they were a religious group rather than a political entity. The need for a governing agreement arose after their voyage and landing in America.