The Mayflower Compact was a document signed by 41 male passengers on the Mayflower before landing at Plymouth. Concerned that some members might leave to form their own colonies, William Bradford and others drafted the compact to bind the group into a political body and pledge members to abide by any laws that would be established. The document adapted a church covenant to a civil situation and was the basis of the colony's government. The settlers elected a governor and at first made all decisions for the colony at town meetings.

Before the Mayflower Compact was drafted, the Pilgrims suffered problems with disease, neighboring Indians, and an unfamiliar climate. Under the leadership of William Bradford and William Brewster, the colony slowly recovered from the losses of the first year and by 1630 had a population of about 400 people. Within a few years, the colony had reached, and passed, 1,000 inhabita

Generally speaking, Europeans and colonists were very ethnocentric. They believed that their race and culture was better than everyone else's. The African slave trade only heightened this view. The slave trade also affected the economic structure of colonial America. Trading and selling slaves was fairly profitable, and soon became a staple of the American economic structure. Some areas of colonial America became so heavily populated with slaves, that in later years they became cultural centers for African Americans. Over 100 years later, the enslavement of African Americans played a huge role in the American Civil War.

Another movement that had an impact on colonial America was the first Great Awakening. This newfound religious enthusiasm quickly spread from the Middle Colonies to New England. Religious "revivals" were taking place all over, where enthusiastic priests encouraged people to live more religiously and without sin. Throughout the colonies, conservative and moderate clergymen believed that disorder and discord attended the revivals. They also believed that it was wrong for women and African Americans to forget their subordinate social status long enough to attend religious gatherings.

Some mercantilist policies provided some benefits to the colonies. Protection from foreign competition helped New England's ship building industry. North Carolina benefited from bounties on tar, pitch, turpentine, and lumber. However, col

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