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Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower draft a binding agreement to establish self-govern
Featured Event 1620 Event

November 11

Pilgrims Sign Compact: America's First Democracy Born

Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower draft a binding agreement to establish self-governance before stepping ashore, creating the first written framework for democracy in North America. This pact directly enabled the colony to survive its harsh winter by uniting settlers under a shared rule of law rather than leaving them leaderless.

November 11, 1620

406 years ago

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