The importance of the Mayflower Compact in American history lies in its significance as a step toward self-government in the English colonies. It was the first documented agreement of self-government in North America, where the colonists realized the need for a mutually agreed set of rules and regulations to govern their new society. The Mayflower Compact also demonstrated the colonists' desire to establish a system of governance based on consent and cooperation, rather than simply following the authority of the English king. However, it was not an attempt at establishing a parliament in North America, nor was it the first time English colonists had violated the king's authority.
