简 介
1620年11月11日，一批英国清教徒搭乘“五月花”号帆船经过66天的海上航行来到了美洲大陆。经过艰苦的海上航程，船上原有的乘客只剩下102名。他们的目的地本来是哈德逊河口地区，但风浪却把他们带到了科德角外的一个港口。他们决定就地登陆，不再到哈德逊河口去。这些乘客出发前曾与伦敦的弗吉尼亚殖民公司签约，公司授权这些人在该公司“管理”的辽阔土地上任选一地定居并管理自己。上岸之前，乘客们决定签署一份公约，以便上岸后有所遵循。这样，船上的41名成年男子便签署了一项具有历史意义的文件。圣诞后一日，102名乘客在现在的马萨诸塞州的普利茅斯上岸，建立了第一个殖民地。下锚于荒凉海港的一条船上产生的这项公约，便为在新大陆上建立自治和法治的社会打下了基础。五月花公约被后人称为美国宪法的两大基石之一。
《五月花号公约》
以上帝的名义，阿门。我们这些签署人是蒙上帝保佑的大不列颠、法兰西和爱尔兰的国王棗信仰和捍卫者詹姆斯国王陛下的忠顺臣民。
为了上帝的荣耀，为了增强基督教信仰，为了提高我们国王和国家的荣誉，我们漂洋过海，在弗吉尼亚北部开发第一个殖民地。我们在上帝面前共同立誓签约，自愿结为一民众自治团体。为了使上述目的能得到更好地实施、维护和发展，将来不时依此而制定颁布的被认为是这个殖民地全体人民都最适合、最方便的法律、法规、条令、宪章和公职，我们都保证遵守和服从。
据此于耶稣纪元1620年11月11日，于英格兰、法兰西、爱尔兰第十八世国王暨英格兰第五十四世国王詹姆斯陛下在位之年，我们在科德角签名于右。
（签名）
The Mayflower Compact (November 1620)
IN The Name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first colony in the northern Parts of Virginia;
Do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general Good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience. In WITNESS whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth and of Scotland, the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620.
John Carver Edward Tilley Degory Priest William Bradford John Tilley Thomas Williams Edward Winslow Francis Cooke Gilbert Winslow William Brewster Thomas Rogers Edmund Margeson Issac Allerton Thomas Tinker Peter Browne Myles Standish John Rigdale Richard Britteridge John Alden Edward Fuller Georoe Soule Samuel Fuller John Turner Richard Clarke Christopher Martin Francis Eaton Richard Gardiner William Mullins James Chilton John Allerton William White John Crackston Thomas English Richard Warren John Billington Edward Dotey John Howland Moses Fletcher Edward Leister Stephen Hopkins John Goodman
