The Mayflower Compact

In modern English: "In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, 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 our selves 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 eleventh of November [New Style, November 21], 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 Dom. 1620." from the web page, Pilgrim Hall Museum

Transcription of the Original: "In ye name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwriten, the loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord King James by ye grace of God, of Great Britaine, Franc, & 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 our selves togeather into a civill body politick; for our better ordering & preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof, to enacte, constitute, and frame shuch 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 wherof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd ye .11. of November, in ye year of the raigne of our soveraigne lord King James of England, France, & Ireland ye eighteenth, and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: Dom .1620." From Mayflower families site.

This document is fundamental in the history of the United States, and appears in The Citizen's Almanac; fundamental documents, symbols, and anthems of the United States, (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Citizenship, Washington DC, 2007) U.S. Government Official Edition, ISBN 978-0-16-078027-1, for sale by the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

However, in the official U.S. Government document, as it appears in this citizenship handbook (which is quite handsome, by the way), the words "In the name of God, Amen." don't appear, as they do in the original. It's a short document, fundamental, concise and clear; why leave that out? I couldn't see that the editors changed the words or meaning of an Emerson hymn (which I'd never come across before) or a Whitman poem.

There are researchers (University of Illinois) concerned that the Bush Administration has been making changes in government documents that only appear digitially--like numbers and names concerning the war, and that campaign promises of Obama have been scrubbed. There seems little concern about what is happening to "official authenticated and fundamental documents." If you send your child to the library to use various digital collections and compilations of American history, you'll find an extremely selective group downplaying religion, the role of churches, the great awakenings, morality, virtues, and instead highlighting corruption, racial unrest, gender inequity and depravity--probably the worst form of bias, banning, blacklisting and book burning I've seen in my years in the information field, because digital access is key (and easy) when the paper copies have all been withdrawn.