Pilgrims at Cape Cod - Voyage Route

After the men aboard the Mayflower decided to stay in New England, instead of reaching Virginia, they had to sort through a governance problem. 

Had they reached the destination for which they had settlement approval - Virginia - they would be governed by the laws of that Colony.  But what was the governing authority in New England?

To solve a near-mutiny on the issue of government, the men aboard agreed to a system of self-government.  Thus was born the Mayflower Compact.

Credits

Map, courtesy National Park Service.