LAD #1: Mayflower Compact and Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

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LAD #1: Mayflower Compact and Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

1. What concepts are included in the Mayflower Compact?

The Mayflower Compact reflects the concept of loyalty, through the desire of the pilgrims to form a settlement in Northern Virginia for England and their king, for God, and to improve their religion. It also reflects the concept of democracy, because the pilgrims write in the Compact that they intend to form a government that is based on the will of the people.

2. How does the Mayflower Compact reflect an attachment to both the "Old" and "New" worlds?

The Mayflower Compact reflects an attachment to the "Old" world, through its mention of the pilgrims loyalty to King James and their country. However, the Compact also shows connections with the "New" world through its theme of democracy, a form of government not found in the "Old" world, a place where the wealthy minority tended to govern, and did not always govern with the lives of the majority as a priority.

3. How did the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut differ from the Mayflower Compact?

The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut differed from the Mayflower Compact in various ways. For one, the Fundamental Orders focused more on the election of government and the ways in which the governing would meet. The Mayflower Compact instead briefly described the reason for settling and the official written creation of their democratic government, without very many specifics. The Fundamental Orders also laid out how smaller jurisdictions, like towns, would be represented in the larger Connecticut government, where as when the Mayflower Compact was written, the government they created only pertained to one smaller pilgrim settlement.

4. What prompted the colonists of Connecticut to take this approach to government, i.e.: use of a written Constitution?

The colonists of Connecticut were prompted to take this approach to government because of the expansion  of the colonists into the Connecticut River Valley area. The people of Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield were spurred to form a larger combined government came from their desire to keep peace in the area, and to maintain the freedoms granted by God.

5. In what significant way(s) do the Fundamental Orders reflect a fear of and safeguard against the usurping of power by one person or a chosen few?

The Fundamental Orders reflect a fear of the and safeguard against one person or a group taking complete control of the government when Order #6 says that if the Governor and Magistrates refuse to call either of the General Courts described in the Orders, that the Freemen can give the power to the town Constables to call a General Court of equal power. Also, the simple fact that the orders require that there be yearly elections for the Governor and the Magistrates, with a fair number of representatives from each town, shows their fear and safeguard against one person or a group taking total control of the government.

 

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The US Constitution reminds me of the Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders due to the democratic themes in each and the importance of the will of the majority. In addition, the way in which deputies are sent from towns in Connecticut to elect governors and magistrates reminds of the Electoral College that was set up in the US Constitution.