when was the mayflower compact written

The Mayflower Compact was written and signed in November 1620, specifically on November 21, 1620 (November 11 under the Old Style calendar used at the time).

Quick Scoop: When Was the Mayflower Compact Written?

• Written and signed aboard the ship Mayflower while it was anchored off Cape Cod.

• Date: November 21, 1620 (New Style / modern calendar).

• In the Old Style (Julian) calendar used by England then, the date appears as November 11, 1620.

• It was originally called “Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth.”

Think of it as a quick, practical contract the men on the ship drafted before they even stepped onto land, to make sure there was some agreed system of self-government.

Why That Date Matters (Historical Context)

• The Compact was created after the Mayflower landed north of its intended destination in Virginia, leaving the group outside the direct scope of its original charter.

• Some passengers argued they were no longer bound by any government, so the leaders pushed for a written agreement to maintain order.

• It became the first written framework for self-government in what would become the United States.

A useful way to see it: November 21, 1620, is often treated as a symbolic early moment in American constitutional and democratic tradition.

Mini Timeline Around the Compact

1. September 1620 – Mayflower leaves England for America with about 100+ passengers.

2. November 1620 – Landfall near Cape Cod, off course from Virginia.

3. November 21, 1620 – Mayflower Compact written and signed aboard the ship.

4. After signing – The settlers begin organizing and eventually establish Plymouth Colony under this agreed framework.

Short Answer (TL;DR)

The Mayflower Compact was written and signed on November 21, 1620 (November 11, Old Style), aboard the Mayflower while anchored off Cape Cod.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.