The landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock had a number of major impacts on America today. Whether the impacts were positive or negative, it was the pilgrims who made the journey to the New World and made the present what it is today. Originating from England, the English were Puritans who believed that the Church of England was in need of spiritual purification. Instead of altering the church, the English journeyed to the New World in search of new opportunities. The Pilgrims could start over and build a new society from scratch without having the possibility of having corrupting influences on the Old World. Religion wasn't the only temptation to go to the New World, there was famine and taxes in England that pushed people to leave for the New World. The New World had the opportunity to gain rights and then be able to live in the society they envisioned (Gray, 48). While on the Mayflower, the colonists realized that there would be no civil authority on the new land for them to follow. The result of that realization was the Mayflower Compact, designed to be their rule and guide to life in the new land. This was the first American state document; provides the original statement of principles of American democracy as we now know it. It was also the first autonomous government within the colonies and considered the people as the source of power. The Mayflower Compact expresses four main ideas: a deep faith in God and his guidance, a deep loyalty to England and the king, a mutual respect for each other as equals, and an intent to establish equal laws for all men. It was the birth of constitutional freedom and became the official constitution of Plymouth Colony until the amalgamation of Plymouth in... middle of paper... s. Web..Chapman, E Arthur. Colonial America: An Encyclopedia of Social, Political, Cultural, and Economic History. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe Inc. 2006. {539, 540}Gray, G. Edward. Colonial America: A History in Documents. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2003. {45-46, 48, 71}"How Did Thanksgiving Get Started?" The Work of Love. Earth's Magic Inc. Web February 15, 2011. .Jensen, Merrill. Colliers Encyclopedia “Plymouth Colony”. New York: Collier. 1996.{157}"Acts on navigation". History of the United States. Web..Sage, Henry J. “The Enlightenment in America.” Academic American History. May 18, 2010. Network..