The Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders of 1638-1639 both represent early forms of self-governance in colonial America. The Mayflower Compact, signed by Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620, established a framework for governance based on majority rule and consent of the governed. The Fundamental Orders, enacted by the Connecticut River towns, expanded on these ideas by creating a more structured government and is often considered the first written constitution in the Western tradition. Both documents reflect the colonists' desire for democratic principles and local control.
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