The document signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims outlining their governance for the Plymouth Colony was the Mayflower Compact. This agreement was established by the male passengers aboard the Mayflower, who pledged to create a civil government and abide by its rules for the sake of order and survival. The Mayflower Compact is significant as one of the earliest forms of self-governance in the New World, establishing the precedent for future democratic principles. It laid the foundation for a government based on consent and collective agreement, important values in American political life.