Let’s Give Thanks for the Pilgrims’ Legacy of Freedom

In a recent interview on Fox News, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch remarked, “We need to know our history in order to preserve it.” 

As we celebrate another Thanksgiving, that statement rings truer than ever, as many Americans have no idea of the sacrifices made by those who crossed the Atlantic for religious freedom as well as the legacy?for those who would come after. And in some cases, others now deride them for making the trip in the first place. 

First, a little context: A little over 400 years ago, a group of devout Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic on an overcrowded ship, seeking the right to freely practice their faith and live their lives in accordance with their conscience without government interference. 

The small ship, called the “Mayflower” was rife with disease as it traversed the stormy Atlantic waters to what was being called the “New World.” 

Many of the brave souls who had set sail never made it this new land. Those who did make it endured even more suffering through a harsh New England winter, fallow crops, and other hardships. 

But sadly, as I have written in my book, “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Moral and Cultural Case for Teaching the Great American Story,” their legacy has fallen prey to the “woke” rewriting of history by Howard Zinn and others. In this rewrite, the Pilgrims are painted as villains, instead of courageous individuals who laid the groundwork for the freest nation in the world’s history via their creation of the Mayflower Compact—a document recognizing that people derive their right of self-government from God and not man. 

The Mayflower Compact was the first attempt at self-government on the North American continent. It was also the document that ultimately served as the basis for the religious liberty enshrined in the U.S. Constitution—a precious freedom that we continue to enjoy today. 

While the Compact used Christianity as its base and said that all colonists should live in accordance with the Christian faith, it was also a pluralistic document meant for the good of both Christians and non-Christians alike to be able to govern themselves and abide in harmony with each other, regardless of their differences. It proclaimed that the colonists would create and enact “laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices” that would allow the colony to thrive, and they would create one society and work with each other, rather than in opposition to each other, because faith informs good government for all. 

In fact, it was these very principles that inspired Thomas Jefferson and the signers of the Declaration of Independence as they laid the foundation upon which our nation was built—the values of self-government, private property, Christian morals, industry, and religious liberty. 

In our present contentious times, when America seems hopelessly divided on practically every issue, I would suggest that it is time for us to reflect on the principles the Pilgrims provided for us and have served as the foundation that resulted in the freest country on earth. Whether it Christian or non-Christian, Republican or Democrat, Baby Boomer or Millennial, we should all appreciate the legacy the Pilgrims gave us. 

But if we forget that history and the freedoms the Pilgrims bequeathed us through the Mayflower Compact, we will not be able to preserve that legacy, as Gorsuch noted, for future generations. And with no understanding of the historical foundation the Pilgrims provided, our country will be sway back and forth, just as the Mayflower did, through countless storms. But unlike the sturdy Mayflower, which sustained the storm after storm, America, is not likely to survive. 

However, if we thoughtfully remember those principles and the sacrifices the Pilgrims made and express thankfulness for what they provided for us all, I believe we can once again in harmony—respectful of our differences but united in our gratitude for our freedom and respect for each other. That is my prayer for this and every Thanksgiving. 

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