This Day in History, 21 November: The Original Mayflower Compact

Christian History Institute ^

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November 21, 1620 • Original Mayflower Compact

There are more than l60 independent nations in the world. Whether dictatorships or democracies, nearly all have written constitutions, but that of the United States is by far the oldest. This is something we can so easily take for granted. But it really marked a pivotal turning point in history and the way nations came to govern themselves.

Signing the Mayflower Compact.

How do you suppose the founding fathers ever thought of having a written Constitution? The idea of a written contract between the people and their government came from a tiny band of 50 Christians called Pilgrims that sailed to America in the Mayflower in l620. The Pilgrims believed many of the Church of England's traditions were not Biblical. Since both King James and the state church persecuted many critics as criminals, the Pilgrims became Separatists and fled first to Holland, then to America. They planned to land in Virginia, where they had a charter from the King to govern them, but Atlantic storms carried them far north to Cape Cod. Since their charter was not valid in that region, they needed a new governnment.

And so on this day, November 21, l620, the Pilgrims drew up and signed the Mayflower Compact (which is actually dated the 11th of November because Britain was still using the Julian calendar) . It said: "For the glorie of God and advancement of ye Christian faith, we do... ...covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick...to enact,... and frame... just and equal laws...for the general good of the Colonie, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."

Several of the men aboard did not sign. Did they believe the document was illegal?

The compact was modelled after the church covenant that the Pilgrims had drafted and signed in l607 when they had first separated from the English Church and fled to Holland. For the next fifty years, the Mayflower compact served the Pilgrims well, and it became an important precedent for the idea of a written American Constitution at the Convention of l787.

Resources:

Adapted from an earlier Christian History Institute story.

Curtis, A. Kenneth, J. Stephen Lang, and Randy Petersen. Dates with Destiny; the 100 most important dates in Church History. Tarrytown, New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1984.

The Mayflower Compact. (http://members.aol.com/calebj/compact.html) Willison, George F. Saints and Strangers; the story of the Mayflower and the Plymouth colony. New York: Ballantine, 1965.

[xzins]

In ye name of God Amen· We whose names are vnderwriten, the loyall subjects of our dread soueraigne Lord King James by ye grace of God, of great Britaine, franc, & Ireland king, defender of ye faith, &c

Haueing vndertaken, for ye glorie of God, and aduancemente of ye christian ^faith and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of Virginia· doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in ye presence of God, and one of another, couenant, & combine our selues togeather into a ciuill body politick; for ye our better ordering, & preseruation & fur= therance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof, to enacte, constitute, and frame shuch just & equall lawes, ordinances, Acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete & conuenient for ye generall good of ye colonie: vnto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes wherof we haue herevnder subscribed our names at Cap= Codd ye ·11· of Nouember, in ye year of ye raigne of our soueraigne Lord king James of England, france, & Ireland ye eighteenth and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: Dom ·1620·|

"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&.

Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620."

[xzins]

ping

[MSSC6644]

This has to be bogus. Everybody knows that we are NOT a Christian/religious country -- especially as far as our government is concerned. /s

Thanks for posting this.

[xzins]

It seems a timely thing, this being Thanksgiving Week and all.

:>)


Thanks to Almighty God is the point of the holiday, isn't it?

I wonder when Thanksgiving Day will get challenged by the secularists?

[Savage Beast]

Always remember that we are descended (literally or culturally) from a bunch of wierdos who couldn't hang in there in the dominant paradigm and had a hard time finding North America and couldn't find Virginia. And those are the ancestors we brag about! As the English love to remind themselves (and us), "America was populated by the 'sweepings of Europe'". (When we're not listening, what they say is a lot worse!) (And even closer to the truth!)

And here we are--the richest, most powerful, most just, best educated, and probably the most sophisticated nation the world has ever known!

Kinda renews your faith in the human race.

It's also kinda reassuring that maybe our descendants won't be too hard on us.

[xzins]

the last shall be first, and the first shall be last

[Raymann]

We're not all British, white, protestant, or damnyankee either.

[GVnana]

Nice post. Thanks.

[MSSC6644]

We're not all British, white, protestant, or damnyankee either.

But we are all Americans. And the Mayflower Compact pointed the way to our new nation.

BTW, I am white, Catholic, Mid-western and Irish/German.

[hellbender]

The article clearly states that they wound up in MA not because they couldn't find VA, but because of storms. Also, they (and the ancestors of many other Americans) came here because they were too independent and conscientious to cowtow to a corrupt regime or church. Coming to America in those days was not a matter of riding a jet plane for a few hours. It involved being crammed into a small wooden ship for weeks--a voyage which many didn't survive--then risking death by disease, starvation, or Indian attack once one arrived in the New World. Our ancestors were actually selected for toughness superior to that of the sneering Euros.
Incidentally, the Brits could also say Australia was settled by the sweepings of British gaols, but Australia is now one of our best allies.

[Savage Beast]

I don't care what the article says. They couldn't find Virginia. Okay, so they were tough and didn't like England. So what? They were still a bunch of wierdos. I don't mind being descended from wierdos. Do you? If you could line up all your ancestors--you'd be in for a shock. We all would. If we could line up all our descendants--we'd be in for a bigger shock! Frankly, I can face the truth about my ancestors--at least I think I could. I'm not sure I could face the truth about my descendants--that could be tough.

[DrewsDad]

Thanks for the post.

My son gets to be Miles Standish in his school's Thanksgiving Play today.

[RoadTest]

"Haueing vndertaken, for ye glorie of God"

They pronounced u like v, and vice vera, and "ye" was pronounced "the". The reading of this compact would sound a lot more like modern English.

[RoadTest]

"We're not all British, white, protestant, or damnyankee either."

True; but, on the other hand there's nothing wrong with being a British, white, protestant, or damnyankee either.

[Raymann]

With the exception of being a damnyankee you're right. On the other hand point was that the Pilgrims were by no means the "founders" of America, just the most famous. The US was founded by 13 seperate colonies with 13 seperate traditions who united into one. The Pilgrims were just a small part of that. The ONE thing that I would take from their tradition is their desire to be free from oppression.

BTW: I'm a libertarian, black, atheist, and Southern by the grace of god. :)

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Cool. Break a leg.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Thanks for the ping, x.

for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith

Amen. Sounds like postmillennial optimism to me. 8~)

[7thson]

My people came later, was able to find Virginia, and settled there in the early 1700's. That's my mohter's side. My father's side came from Ireland in the 1880's and settled in western Pennsylvania.

[7thson]

I have seen a commercial for a History Channel show that says the Pilgrims stole from the Indians, killed them, and robbed their graves.

[RoadTest]

Well, the God you don't think exists bless you!!