Page 34 - Beers With Our Founding Fathers

Beers with our Founding Fathers

The Mayflower voyage was intended to reach the mouth of the

Hudson River; however, they were blown off course and landed at
present day Provincetown Harbor, Massachusetts – forming

Plymouth Colony. Due to being off course and not at the intended
settlement area, many passengers felt that, due to not landing in

Virginia, there was no one that had power over them – essential
anarchy. To prevent this, many of the pilgrim male leaders (but not

a majority) of the voyage chose to form the first government and
drafted The Mayflower Compact. This document is the first colonial

governing document. It swore allegiance to the king of England, as
well as the religious devotion, and governing in the best interests

and survival of the colonists would be by a majority.
The original document is lost forever. However, three hand-

written versions of the seventeenth century document have
survived. It is believed that the wording of the Mayflower Compact

was:
“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, etc.
Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of

the Christian faith and honor 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
politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of
the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and

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