In America the first attempts at written constitutions were in the fullest sense made by the people, and not through representatives but directly. In the Mayflower's cabin, before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, they subscribed their names to a compact in which they agreed to constitute themselves into a "body politic" and to enact such laws as might be deemed best for the colony which they were about to establish. Such a compact is of course too vague to be called a constitution. . . .
Source:
John Fiske's "Civil Government of the U.S.," Boston, New York & Chicago, Houghton, Mifflin & Co., The Riverside Press Cambridge, 1890 & 1904, p. 192
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The Compact
In ye name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James; by ye grace of God, of Great Britaine, France and Ireland King; Defender of ye Faith, &c
Having undertaken, for ye glorie of God, and advancement of ye Christian faith and honour of our King and countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of Virginia doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in ye presence of God, and one of another, covenant, & combine our selves together into a civil body politick; for ye our better ordering, & preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by virtue hearof, to enacte, constitute, and frame shuch just & equall lawes, ordinances, Acts, constiutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete & convenient for ye generall good of ye colonie; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Codd ye 11th of November, in ye year of ye raigne of our soveraigne Lord king James of England, France, & Ireland ye eighteenth and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: Domini 1620.
John Carver*
William Bradford*
Edward Winslow*
William Brewster*
Isaac Allerton*
Myles Standish*
John Alden
Samuel Fuller*
Christopher Martin*
William Mullins*
William White*
Richard Warren*
John Howland
Stephen Hopkins*
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Edward Tilley
John Tilley
Francis Cook
Thomas Rogers
Thomas Tinker
John Rigdale
Edward Fuller
John Turner
Francis Eaton
James Chilton
John Crackston
John Billington
Moses Fletcher
John Foodman
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Degory Priest
Thomas Williams
Gilbert Winslow
Edmund Margeson
Peter Brown
Richard Britteridge
George Soule
Richard Clarke
Richard Gardiner
John Alleeton
Thomas English
Edward Doty
Edward Lister
*Had title of Master or Mr.
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"This was the birthplace of popular constitutional liberty."
Bancroft
Our proven and direct ancestors who signed The Compact are John Alden, William Mullins, John Howland and possibly Myles Standish, the Tilleys and George Soule.
Rozina P. Fairchild's sources (circa 1920-30) for The Compact and other Mayflower information:
Fiske's "Civil Government of the U.S."
Fiske's Beginnings of New England
Azel Ames "The Mayflower, Her Log"
Bancroft (?) & Morton (?)