What was the significance of the Mayflower Compact in colonial governance?

The Mayflower Compact holds significant importance in the context of colonial governance as it introduced the concept of self-governance among the settlers. Created in 1620 by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, the Compact represented a pioneering moment in the establishment of a government based on the consent of the governed. The signers pledged to create a "civil body politic" for their better ordering and preservation, thereby laying the groundwork for future democratic governance in the New World. This agreement emphasized the idea that authority comes from the collective will of the people, a principle that would resonate in American political thought and practice for centuries to come.