Editing Mayflower Compact (section)

== Legacy ==
On November 23, 1920, at a commemoration ceremony for the 300th anniversary of the ''Mayflower'' landing, then [[Governor of Massachusetts|Massachusetts governor]] [[Calvin Coolidge]], who became the 30th [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] a few years later, said the following about the Mayflower Compact:

{{Poem quote|The compact which they signed was an event of the greatest importance. It was the foundation of liberty based on law and order, and that tradition has been steadily upheld. They drew up a form of government which has been designated as the first real constitution of modern times. It was democratic, an acknowledgment of liberty under law and order and the giving to each person the right to participate in the government, while they promised to be obedient to the laws.

But the really wonderful thing was that they had the power and strength of character to abide by it and live by it from that day to this. Some governments are better than others. But any form of government is better than anarchy, and any attempt to tear down government is an attempt to wreck civilization.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Descendants Hail Spirit of Pilgrims |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1920-11-23/ed-1/?sp=6&r=-0.053,0.552,0.95,0.466,0 |work=New York Herald |page=6 |date=1920-11-23 |access-date=2020-11-19}}</ref>}}