There were numerous ways that the Colonial experience helped to shape the United States political and social ideas. One of the main things they had was a self-government and also town meetings. They also started the majority rules in politics. Americans borrowed these ideas and implemented them into our government. They were also the ones to write the Mayflower Compact. One of the biggest ideas that we got from the Colonials were the "separation of state and church." This was discussed in the New World. They also worked under mercantilism. The ideas they had, helped shape America.