AMERICA'S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE HOMEPAGE
Week 1 - The Founding Fathers
1. The Mayflower Compact was the first formal document for self-government drafted in America and was established on November 11, 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 Great Britain, France and Ireland king, defender of the
faith, etc., having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement 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 of 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 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 hereunder subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the 11 of
November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France,
and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domine 1620."
2. They all agreed that the purpose of their journey, as stated above was for the Glory of God and the advancement of the Christian Faith.
3. The Charter of Massachusetts Bay in 1629 states: �."Whereby our said people, inhabitants there, may be so religiously, peaceably, and civilly governed, as their good life and orderly conversation may win and incite the natives of country, to the knowledge and obedience of the only true God and Savior of mankind and the Christian faith.�
4. The Declaration of Independence signed in 1776 declares that these truths that the founders held were self evident that �all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness�.
5. They understood that God had created a world order in which all people, regardless of race or religious heritage, held the right to �life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness�. Liberty was a God given right, not a man made law.
6. Patrick Henry declared the sentiment of his fellow countrymen when he said: �Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what others may do, but as for, give me liberty of give me death.�
7. The following year, 1776, Henry wrote this: "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded the freedom of worship here."
8. George Washington stated in a speech given on May 10, 1789: �If I could have entertained the slightest apprehension that the Constitution which was framed in our convention, where I had the honor of presiding, might possibly endanger the religious rights of any ecclesiastical society, certainly, I would never have placed my signature upon it.�
9. The U.S. Constitution signed by Washington is dated as September 17 in the year of our Lord 1787. All 55 signers placed their signatures under that proclamation.
10. As they were declaring their independence from King George and Great Britain, the �Lord� they spoke of could only be God the creator thus recognizing His Authority and divine Providence.
11. The original Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay, was one of the 3 most responsible men for the Constitution. He said: �Providence has given to our people the choicest of their rulers, and it is the duty � as well as the privilege and interest � of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.�
12. From June 7 to September 15, 1789, Congress discussed the intent of the First Amendment. The Congressional Records from that period reveal the Founder�s intent: �We do not want in America what we had in Great Britain. We don�t want one denomination running the nation. We will not all be Catholics, or Anglicans, or any other single denomination. We do want God�s principles, but we don�t want one denomination running the nation.�
13. The first draft of the First Amendment, written by James Madison stated: �The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established.�
14. The final draft of the First Amendment was written by Fisher Ames and was ratified in 1789 and still existing today states: �Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.�