在十七世纪初的英国,国王詹姆斯一世( James I)宣扬“君权神授”,大权独揽,推行绝对君主专制。虽说经过宗教改革的英国已经站到新教一边,但在实际上实施的则是一种尊重僧侣,注重圣事,代表君主意愿的宗教改革。说白了,就是利用原有的神权机制为实施绝对君主专制服务。这种改革远远不能满足改革派提出的进行尊重圣经而非依靠僧侣的宗教改革的要求。清教徒就是激进改革派的代表。
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, &c. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the 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 Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof do 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 hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth and of Scotland, the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620.
John Carver Edward Tilley Degory Priest William Bradford John Tilley Thomas Williams Edward Winslow Francis Cooke Gilbert Winslow William Brewster Thomas Rogers Edmund Margeson Issac Allerton Thomas Tinker Peter Browne Myles Standish John Rigdale Richard Britteridge John Alden Edward Fuller Georoe Soule Samuel Fuller John Turner Richard Clarke Christopher Martin Francis Eaton Richard Gardiner William Mullins James Chilton John Allerton William White John Crackston Thomas English Richard Warren John Billington Edward Dotey John Howland Moses Fletcher Edward Leister Stephen Hopkins John Goodman
感恩节最终成为全国性节日应该归功于萨拉.黑奥(Sarah Joseph Hale)。作为杂志编辑,萨拉为使感恩节成为全国性节日奋笔疾书,奔走呼号凡40年,终于促使林肯总统发布法令,规定每年11月最后一个星期四为全国性的感恩节。虽然,林肯以后的各位总统都萧规曹随,但感恩节的具体日期仍出现过变动。直到1941年,罗斯福总统签署国会提交的一份提案,每年11月最后一个星期四的感恩节才最终正式成为全国性的法定节日。