"We... 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... and frame such just and equal Laws... as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general Good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience." — Mayflower Compact, 1620
The flowchart and excerpt together best illustrate which political principle?
- A
Royal charters alone establish lawful colonial government
- Bcheck_circle
Government legitimacy derives from the consent of the governed
- C
Hereditary nobility forms the basis of just law
- D
Religious uniformity is required for political authority
Explanation
Both source and diagram show settlers voluntarily forming a body politic and binding themselves to its laws—an early articulation of consent-based government.