1783 Map of the Thirteen Independent States and Their Claims in Stones in the Monument to Union Four Ways of Amending the Constitution of the United States 49 Official Presidential Ballot of Princeton, New Jersey 57 58 59 60 62 Map of the Philippines Ranges East and West of the Second Prime Meridian (Fig. 1) 323 Township Subdivided into Sections (Fig. 2) 324 Section Subdivided (Fig. 3) 324 An Economic Waste in Distribution of Milk in Rochester, New York 347 Woman Suffrage Map of the United States AMERICAN GOVERNMENT C CHAPTER I IMPORTANCE OF GOVERNMENT 1. Creation of a Government. The Pilgrims found a spot "fit for situation" and landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, December 22, 1620. No civilized government1 existed on these new shores, and the Pilgrims, although a religious people, realized that they would be unable to preserve order among themselves and maintain protection against the Indians without government and laws. In fact, dissensions on the Mayflower had already impressed them with the necessity of establishing a government. Accordingly, while lying off Cape Cod, the forty-one male adults signed the following agreement: "We whose names are under-written . . . doe . . . combine ourselves together into a civill body politick to enact... such just and equall laws . . . from time to time as shall be thought most meete and convenient for ye generall good of ye Colonie, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience." Thus a new government came into existence. 2. Why Government is Important.-Government is important because through coöperation we are able to maintain peace, security, justice, and public services more easily than if individuals acted singly. Each individual may not directly assist in maintaining peace, security, justice, and public services; but every person 1 A government is the agency through which the purposes of a state are formulated and executed. 2 By "new shores" is meant the New England shores. A government had existed in Virginia since 1607. |