...Analysis of the Term “American Exceptionalism” in the Current U.S. Culture A Reflections Paper Analysis of the Term “American Exceptionalism” in the Current U.S. Culture American Exceptionalism refers to the idea that the United States is significantly different from other countries. The concept has origins in the writings of French scholar Alexis de Toqueville who made observations during his visit to America in the nineteenth century (Mansfield, 2011). Also, Puritan John Winthrop's 1630 sermon "A Model of Christian Charity" led to the widespread belief in American folklore that the United States of America is God's country because it would become a "city upon a hill", watched by the world (John Winthrop: "A Modell of Christian Charity", 2007). Although the term does not necessarily imply superiority, many political leaders and writers have coined its use in that sense. Naturally, others hold the position that America is not really exceptional at all. In fact, after taking a cursory glance at some of the issues that our leaders are charged to correct, we can easily peel off the loftier label and replace it with a more humbling phrase. To begin, America’s hunger issue is a strong reason to reduce our loftier standing. It is not impressive that in a country without drought or famine and with enough food and money to feed the world twice over 1-in-8 of our own people struggle to put food on its table (Berg, 2009). Also, in 2010, 4.8 percent of all U.S. households...
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...American Exceptionalism is a belief that America is exceptional and does not conform to the norm. It is the uniqueness of our country which sets us apart from all of the rest. American Exceptionalism can be traced back to the 1830s when Alexis de Tocqueville who was the first to use the term “exceptional” to describe the United States and the American people in his class work Democracy in America. However, the idea of America as an exceptional entity can be traced back to the earliest colonial times. The idea American Exceptionalism has changed over the decades and many Americans in recent years do not believe in it. In the opinion editorial, “Decline of American Exceptionalism,” written by Charles M. Blow, he believes that Americans should realize what our nation has come to and to restore what was once the greatest country in the world. He also believes that people have fallen into deep pessimism about our country because the country is in “the start of a longer-term decline where the U.S. is no longer the leading country in the world.” (Blow) Even though America is known for opportunities arising and our hope for humanity, I believe that the belief of American Exceptionalism has changed because Americans have forgotten what it means and what it looks like. Therefore, American Exceptionalism will be gone unless, America as a whole takes the initiative to change the country back to its mighty state. For example, a country who once had everything the other countries dreamt...
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...American Exceptionalism The idea of being superior or better than other nations is an interesting thought. It’s a thought that needs to be explored in a respectful way since many may feel it’s arrogant to call ourselves superior over others, but if it’s done the right way, I feel that there are many arguments that favor American exceptionalism. I found three arguments which I feel that support the belief of American exceptionalism. The first argument is freedoms. What does it mean to be free based on an immigrants view? I saw this quote by Hector St. John de Crevecoeur in which he said “The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas and form new opinions. Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world” (Brotter 1). I feel this quote describes one’s belief of what it means to be free, and how much it means to those that come to this country to help fight to keep those rights for all Americans. With so many immigrants from every corner of the world interested in becoming an American citizen. The only sensible conclusion would be that this country must be far superior to any other country in the world. My second argument is the nature of our government along with the political structure that works within it. To explore this argument, I begin with the effects of the American Revolution and what we were fighting for as well as the changes...
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...American Exceptionalism is the notion that the United States of America is duly endowed with properties unique to it because of the formal declaration to the pursuit of liberty. This idea prescribes the United States with the right of “divine sanction or moral obligation,” to proffer throughout the world a civilizing, democratizing mission – achievable through violence, if necessary (Zinn, 2005). American Exceptionalism works through Manifest Destiny, the doctrine first described by O’Sullivan which justified the expansion of the United States government over the whole North American continent as divine destiny (O’ Sullivan, 1945). Aside from occupation of land, Americans were to expand the social, political, and economic agendas of the United States (O’Sullivan, 1945). This process is often called Westward Expansion because from the eastern shores of the central North American continent “pioneers” proved their grit and forged west. Land hunger drove the “great frontier model” which was backed by belief that there was an emptiness, an unoccupied void of land ready for those willing to risk their lives on the frontier (Pickens, 409). Land, resources, and ideas about exceptionalism bound together in the minds of imperial Americans searching for political and economic independence and equality; this was especially apparent in the men of the time (Pickens, 411). The concept of a new frontier, driven by a yearning for material improvement...
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...The history text book titled A History of the United States writes “Americans--makers of something out of nothing--have delivered a new way of life to far corners of the world” (pg 284) This quote is referring to the Americas as the exceptional progresors and producers creating the idea of American exceptionalism; or in other world the idea that America is the best. Because text books deliver this idea to students and disallow them to question this material they grow up wanting to continue this ideology. One can only be socially best either by developing something, having massive power, or by owning massive amounts of money. This is where politics and economy come into play. As a nation we want to progress to the point where we are the best at everything. “Politically, we can hope other nations will put in place our forms of democracy and respect for civil liberties. Economically, we can only hope other nations will never achieve our standard of living, for if they did, the earth would become a desert…Since the planet is finite, as we expand...
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...The United States (U.S) and it’s ideals have greatly impacted foreign affairs since the founding of the nation. Though most ideals shift over hundreds of years, American exceptionalism has remained unchanged. As demonstrated by J. Edgar Hoover and Richard Nixon’s anti-communist agendas, the U.S has not been tolerant of communist, marxist, or anti-democratic rumblings in the western hemisphere. The second red scare on U.S soil indicates how repulsive to the American populace the ideal of communism had become, and how easily it could be manipulated as a political weapon. Intervention in situations where European powers are attempting to enter Latin America was justified by the Roosevelt Corollary. This gave the government the right to interfere...
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...Like you, no matter where I travel abroad there is a myriad of reasons to be thankful to be an American. Some individuals I encountered were fascinated by my status as an American. Others verbally attacked my citizenship. When I was in Egypt, I was assigned an armed guard who followed me everywhere. Such occurrences of American hate may reflect misconceptions of American exceptionalism. For example, those who disprove of American exceptionalism associate it with jingoism or chauvinism (Murray 2013). America is a beacon for the entire world. The beacon draws some toward it and other to destroy it. Religion, or more accurately faith, does play a substantial part in the propulsion of American exceptionalism. America is a grand experiment in...
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...Prejudice, Trinidad, and 'Jamaican exceptionalism'UWI «Tracking no» Foun1101 CARIBBEAN CIVILISATION Student Name: ID Number: Faculty: SOCIAL SCIENCES Degree Prog.: BSc. MANAGEMENT Date: 24/02/12 Title of Article Prejudice, Trinidad, and 'Jamaican exceptionalism' ________________________________________________________________________________________________ I certify that this is my own work and by attaching this cover sheet certify further that there are no instances of plagiarism contained herein. I submit to any penalty that the Faculty deems appropriate for any instance of plagiarism discovered in this work howsoever caused… Signed: Shawn Ramsaran THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES 1. I hereby certify that I am the author of the attached item of coursework and that all materials from reference sources have been properly acknowledged. 2. I understand what plagiarism is and what penalties may be imposed on students found guilty of plagiarism. 3. I certify that this paper contains no plagiarised material. 4. I certify that this is my own work and that I did not receive any unfair assistance from others (including unauthorized collaboration) in its preparation. 5. I certify that this paper has not previously been submitted either in its entirety or in part within the UWI system or to any other educational institution. 6. In the case of group work: a. I certify that the individual work of each member of the group has been...
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...In May 2000, the Taliban, who rule most of Afghanistan, ordered a mother of seven to be stoned to death for adultery in front of an ecstatic stadium of men and children. The year before, the House of Lords -- Britain's highest court -- had allowed two Pakistani women accused of adultery to claim refugee status in the United Kingdom, since they risked public flogging and death by stoning at home. Women today are denied the vote and the right to drive cars in several Arab states, and harsh versions of shari`a (Islamic law) punishment are spreading to Sudan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Still, the Taliban's repression remains in a class by itself: denying women the right to leave home except when accompanied by a brother or husband and forbidding them all access to public education. Not only do the Taliban seek to spread their militant vision to other states, they also demand to be left alone to implement their own religious and cultural values at home without foreign interference. Leaders in Kabul insist that they not be judged by the norms of others -- especially in the West. Of course the Taliban are not the only ones to reject outside scrutiny. Florida's government, after frying several prisoners in a faulty electric chair, has only reluctantly turned to other methods of execution to conform to the U.S. Constitution's prohibition of "cruel and unusual punishment." Yet when America's Western allies tell it that the U.S. system of capital punishment is barbaric, local politicians...
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...American exceptionalism alludes to the uncommon character of the Assembled States as an interestingly free country in light of vote based beliefs and individual freedom. Be that as it may, regularly the political contrasts are said to be supported by material contrasts realized by the riches/assets of the Assembled States, some of the time seen as an immediate result of the flexibility of the American individuals, however by others as the result of the legacy of the North American mainland's bottomless assets. This is the boondocks rendition of the hypothesis, and this and the thoughts of social versatility and migrant absorption are firmly fixing to this arrangement of thoughts of American material success. Numerous parts of American history...
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...Additionally, some exceptionalism supporters believe that “God is on our side.” Confidence is definitely an important aspect for any country, but too much confidence could potentially be dangerous. When a state begins to believe “it enjoys a mandate of heaven and becomes convinced that it cannot fail or be led astray,” issues are bound to surface. Napoleonic France, Imperial Japan and many other nations have fallen victim to this type of belief, all with severe results. A great deal of America's prosperity is due to the geographic location of the nation. The United States was lucky, they had vast resources at their disposal, a large and unclaimed land mass to explore with many interconnecting rivers. More importantly, they were physically separated from Europe and European conflicts by a massive body of water, which allowed them to prosper without interruption. Despite America’s many successes, the nation is hardly removed from setbacks, failings and mistakes. America does have its own special qualities, all nations do, but it doesn’t change the fact that it is “a state deep in a very competitive global system.” American exceptionalism is fueled by nationalism, which inevitably highlights the nation’s virtues while also sugarcoating less savory aspects. If America really wants to be exceptional, it might be a good idea...
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...free and home of the brave. In 2009, Barack Obama stated “I believe in American Exceptionalism, just as I suspect the Brits believe in British exceptionalism, and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism” (News Conference 2009). American Exceptionalism is an Umbrella housing everything the led to the freedom and uniqueness of national acceptance. The term “exceptionalism” stems from being exceptional and at a high level of respect, or success. Exceptionalism is our belief in the exceptional country we live in, that is America. America is seen by many around the world as the land of opportunities. There are a vast number of reasons that is became so. Every country should have “exceptionalism” by which you acknowledge and love your country for. American Exceptionalism influenced US domestic and international policies as well as US democracy via the belief that what “America does is right.” That belief is stemmed from the notion of because it is our country anything we do is right or justified. When reading into Obama’s speech on our American exceptionalism we must attain and realize his stance on supporting his country no matter what. The term stems into policies, and relations among nations. Under the umbrella of the term...
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...The End of American Exceptionalism? The Limits of Power is a primary reading that was published in 2008 before the results of the presidential election was known. It was written by Andrew Bacevich who is a retired U.S. Army colonel and professor of history and international relations at Boston University. In the book Bacevich argues that the United States has been in a unique position since its inception. It has a large amount of inherent advantages, such as an abundance of natural resources and a lack of nearby external threats. Despite these advantages, he sees the United States as having embarked on a disastrous path of rampant consumption and attempted empire building that is corrupting and bankrupting the country, all while using American exceptionalism as a justification. When asked what American exceptionalism means in an interview shortly after his book was published Bacevich answered, “Well, this is not an idea that’s original with me. It’s clear that from the founding of the Anglo-American colonies, from the time that John Winthrop made his famous sermon and declared that “we shall be as a city upon a hill” a light to the world it’s clear that, from the outset, there has been a strong sense among Americans that we are a special people with a providential mission. In the twentieth century, probably going back to roughly the time of Woodrow Wilson, certainly since the end of the Cold War, this concept of a providential mission, a responsibility to the world, has...
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...Explain Manifest Destiny and American exceptionalism. John Sullivan brought about manifest destiny, in his article; he claimed that the American manifest destiny was to spread over to free developments after allotting the continents providence. The interpolations made many people think that it was rightful for Americans to expand its territories (Barnes & Bowles, 2014). On the other hand, the American exceptionalism mainly referred to the uniqueness of the US. This was reflecting on the personal liberty and the democratic ideals of the country (Barnes & Bowles, 2014). The exceptionalism helped the Americans understand there is no other nation in the world where Americans can fulfill their dream. How were these ideas applied to U.S. foreign...
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...American Exceptionalism by James Q. Wilson is written from the viewpoint that anything America, at least the majority, has benefited the rest of the world. Throughout the piece, Wilson wil pick out an America routine and compare it to those of Europe, among others, and construct reasons in which make America seem like the superior country. Moreso, if America has done, or is still doing, something that is not like my the public, Wilson will still demonstrate how much worse conditions and circumstance could be in another country. Wilson makes sure to highlight the pride Americans hold. He uses a study done by Pew Research Center stating “While 71 percent of Americans say they are "very proud" to be in America, only 38 percent of the French...
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