November 11th is most well-known for Veterans Day. But what most forget is that it bears a lot of historical importance also.

403 years ago, the Mayflower compact was signed.

Signed before the Pilgrims ever set foot on land, it took its place in the annals of history as the the first document to establish government on American soil. It was intended to establish a form of self government separate from the King of England, though still under his permission.

The original document has been lost to time. Where it wound up and what became of it, no one is quite sure. But there are multiple copies that confirm what the document said.

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 Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. 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 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 do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Officers, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient f 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

John Carver
William Bradford
Edward Winslow
William Brewster
Isaac Allerton
Myles Standish
John Alden
John Turner
Francis Eaton
James Chilton
John Craxton

John Billington
Moses Fletcher
John Goodman
Samuel Fuller
Christopher Martin
William Mullins
William White
Richard Warren
John Howland
Stephen Hopkins
Digery Priest

Thomas Williams 
Gilbert Winslow 
Edmund Margesson 
Peter Brown 
Richard Britteridge 
George Soule 
Edward Tilly 
John Tilly 
Francis Cooke 
Thomas Rogers 
Thomas Tinker

John Ridgdale 
Edward Fuller 
Richard Clark 
Richard Gardiner 
Mr. John Allerton 
Thomas English 
Edward Doten 
Edward Liester

Many of the signers would die of starvation and disease before the coming winter was over. Roughly half of all passengers aboard the Mayflower would meet the same fate.

What’s incredible though is that, from the ones who survived, the greatest nation on earth would come into being.

Happy Mayflower Compact Day, everyone!

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A fun fact for you: I’m a direct descendant of five of the Mayflower Compact signers. Care to take a guess down in the comments about which ones I descend from?

A. M. Watson

Hebrews 13:8