Did the Pilgrims influence the Founding Fathers?

Answer 1

They wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact.

Answer 2

No. Religion didn't play a role because the founding fathers had seen the results of religion in the relationship to government and the abuses that came with it. They wanted to insure that there was no state religion and that the laws were secular in nature to make sure all people were treated equally under the law. Most of the founding fathers were also repeatedly refused to be swayed by religious opinion, but directly challenged the right of the church to interfere with secular matters. The belief that the US was founded as a Christian nation is held by those who think it is in danger of coming under the influence of non-Christians. In fact, it never was a Christian nation except in the most literal sense that most of the people who came were Christians. Not one word is said about Christianity in the Constitution nor is it in the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration refers only to " nature's God."