The Mayflower Compact is an important document in that it was the first agreement for self-government ever put in force in America. On November 21 (then Nov. 11), 1620, the ship Mayflower anchored off Cape Cod, Mass. The Pilgrim leader persuaded 41 men who were aboard the ship to sign the "Mayflower Compact" and set up a government in Plymouth Colony. The original compact has since disappeared.

The version below follows the original spelling and punctuation given in the history of Plimoth Plantation, written by William Bradford, the second governor of Plymouth colony.

"In ye name of God Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord King James, by ye grace of God, of Great Britaine, France, & Ireland king, defender of ye faith, &c. Haveing undertaken, for ye glorie of God, and advancemente 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, covenant, & combine ourselves togeather into a Civill body politick; for our better ordering, & preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hereof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just & equall Lawes, ordinances, Acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete & convenient for ye generall good of ye colonie: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd ye-11-of November, in ye year of ye raigne of our soveraigne Lord King James of England, France, & Ireland ye eighteenth, and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano Dom. 1620."

It has been said of the Mayflower Compact, that it was the first such document which strove to guarantee our basic freedoms, which we now enjoy in America. The heart of the agreement contained the premise that freedom is that which allows us to do that which is God's will, right and good, not the freedom to do that which seems right to us. The freedom to honor God and to advance the Christian faith was utmost at the heart of the document.

Therefore, in the spirit of this Thanksgiving Holiday, 2009, the Tennant Family extends best wishes to you all and we join with you in thanking our Lord for the freedoms we hold dear, and the blessings we share. We pray that we as a people of this great nation will humble ourselves on this day and days to come, to return to prayer and reliance on God to uphold us in this time.

God Bless You and Have a Happy Thanksgiving!