Thanksgiving and the American social contract

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Dear John,

When was America founded?

The obvious answer is July 4, 1776, when the United States declared independence from Great Britain. Another is 1787, when the states ratified the federal Constitution. Some critics point to 1619, when the first enslaved people were sold to Virginians.

All three of these moments are vitally important to understanding American history, but at the Thanksgiving holiday, we should remember another date: November 11, 1620, when the Pilgrims first arrived at Plymouth Plantation in what became Massachusetts.

Before even arriving in the New World, the Pilgrims established a government in a document known as the Mayflower Compact or the Plymouth Combination.

In this document, the Pilgrims announced that they would “covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation.” It was one of the first examples of a social contract in America.

The basic principle of the American political tradition is self-government. As Americans, we believe that human beings are born free and equal, and that we form governments to protect our rights and dignity. The Mayflower Compact is one of the first assertions of that principle on American soil.

Thanksgiving is also a reminder that preserving our social contract requires sacrifice. The Pilgrims had to work hard to preserve Plymouth Colony’s future. During their first winter, 45 of the first 102 settlers died. Starvation, an inhospitable climate, and even war threatened the very existence of that little society. But because they were united around the purposes laid out in the Mayflower Compact, the Pilgrims were able to come together, survive, and eventually flourish.

Today, it is still vital to unite around America’s social contract. We need to renew our shared commitment to the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. In times as divided as ours, Thanksgiving is a good reminder that society has a purpose and self-government means sharing the burdens of our common pursuit of it.

This Thanksgiving, we should take the opportunity to teach our kids and grandkids something about American history around the dinner table. The Jack Miller Center is working hard to provide teachers, professors, and other civics professionals with the support they need to give our kids that education in the classroom.

There is great reason to be encouraged that future generations will have a renewed commitment to advancing the American experiment.

Thank you for all that you do for our country. On this day of gratitude, we are deeply grateful for your support.

Yours gratefully,
Hans Zeiger
President, Jack Miller Center
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
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