It is no exaggeration to say that the great American experiment—the achievement of self-government, rule of law and enlightened liberty for all—began not in 1776 but in 1620. We are still on that same voyage and though occasional storms block and even set us back, we remain committed to the ideal.
https://fee.org/articles/the-mayflower-compact-as-an-idea-america-began-in-1620-not-1776/