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What is american exceptionalism essay
The concept of american exceptionalism
The concept of american exceptionalism
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Although the term exceptionalism did not originate in America, it is a term which could be applied directly to American culture. Originally used as a term to show the superiority of the U.S. to Europe, exceptionalism is a term that is a huge part of American culture. “American exceptionalism is thus the notion that the United States was born in, and continues to embody, qualitative differences from other nations. Understanding other nations will not help in understanding it; understanding it will only mislead in understanding them” (Shaffer 446).The concept of exceptionalism relates to the superiority of America and how it stands alone as one of the only world super powers. Exceptionalism does not have one central definition, it relates to …show more content…
national identity” (Pease 109). “American exceptionalism comes from our freedom. It began with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but that was only the beginning. We also enjoy freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. No other nation has given so much freedom or enumerated them so clearly. The United States has done more to provide for individual freedom than any other country in history. No wonder so many want to call the United States home” (Hutchison). The concept of exceptionalism has evolved from a contrast and superiority to Europe which was a society where much depends on your origins, to a new world where through struggles of the past and liberation anything is possible and freedom widely available. While the concept of exceptionalism could be applied to other nations, America embodies the characteristics most predominantly and effectively through the core beliefs, American ideals and its …show more content…
“While national identity in most countries is cultural, a function of language and other traditions, America's sense of its identity is also crucially tied to principles, those of the Declaration of Independence with its emphatic statement of self-evident truths about human equality and rights grounded in nature and natures God” (Lewis). The Declaration of Independence is a document fundamental to American culture, paving the way for the Civil Rights Movement and the movement towards acceptance and freedom for all. “America's sense of its identity is also crucially tied to principles, those of the Declaration of Independence with its emphatic statement of self-evident truths about human equality and rights grounded in nature and natures God” (Lewis). Superiority and the need for excellence are what American beliefs often relate to because of the plan God has. Samuelson argues that America is a land of opportunity and is exceptional because of the opportunities
The myth of American(USA) superiority and exceptionalism has existed since the early foundation days. The rush towards the Pacific provided an easy way to sustain this theory, and for a long time it was assumed that westward growth was the best sign of success. In fact, some of the earliest films to hold captive the American citizens were spectacles of U.S. positivism, where good always triumphed over evil.
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, is a document that the majority of American’s know about. It is taught to children as early as elementary school. I remember learning about its basics all the way back in second grade when my teacher had the class put on a play about American history. As young as I was I knew the document is important but the thought did not occur to me that it is the basis for American Ethos. This document is so important that it is referenced in presidential speeches, like President William Clinton’s speech “Our New Covenant.”
This piece of evidence reveals that Americans tend to be more patriotic than the majority of other nations as stated in Lipset’s thesis. This is due for reasons such as citizens believing they are going to war against evil and not for conquest and land. This may give citizens that sense of duty to join the war effort along with the fact that Americans treasure their unique rights and feel it is their duty to protect these rights. Therefore Lipset supports that America is exceptional by stating, ultimately, an advantage we have over other
In the words of Joseph Margulies, “National identity is not fixed, it is made.” Through the event of 9/11 our national identity has changed significantly. Before we dive into the now and the changed national identity, lets set a foundation of where national identity started. In the nineteenth century, Protestant Americans were incomparably dominate. It was argued that the Enlightenment and the Western intellectuals of the eighteenth century were still the foundation of national identity in the nineteenth century. However, from the writer, Samuel Huntington, the religious foundations of American society were based off the Anglo-Protestant heritage. (Page 24) On the other hand, in Who Are We? The Challenges to America’s National Identity, the author stated the American culture was dwindling Anglo-Protestant heritage. The original values were based off the Anglo-Protestant heritage included liberty, equality, individualism, democracy, and the rule of law under a constitution. Later in the nineteenth century, the European heritage grew and the ideas of individual freedom, political democracy, and human rights grew as well. (Page 19) The nineteenth century introduced the “well-being and integrity of the community and the virtuous citizen’s obligations to the community’s welfare (page 20).”
There exists a lot of controversy over the term “American Exceptionalism.” Not only was this debate prevalent many years ago, it also exists today. There are many aspects of American culture that can make it seem like the most superior country in the world, but also there exists many that make it seem otherwise. The term American Exceptionalism is a term that is used to strengthen a country. In times of peril and chaos, the most important action a country can do is to come together as one. Exceptionalism is not only a term for leaders to live by, but also is a term that equates to a sense of pride for the entire country.
In his essay, “John Fante’s America,” David Fine argues, “John Fante’s novel, Ask the Dust, offers a number of clear examples of the conflicts and contradictions of American Identity.” Many come to America to live the identity of an American and live the American Dream. To identify as an American, falls within the second paragraph of the U.S. Declaration of Independence; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I feel that the founding fathers of America created this, for whoever wished to be a part of the Identification as an American. Regardless of a person’s race, class and or gender, all men would be created equally. In John Fante’s novel, “Ask the Dust, “ the image of American Identity contradicts the true values of what being American is
To be an American has a big picture that can be described in many ways. Personally, to be an American is to achieve everything; however, the person next to may have a different opinion about it. History, America has been attracting immigrants from different parts of the world to live the full freedom and opportunity. To be an American means much more than living in the United States is to be able to expand the beliefs ones have. That is why people view the American Dream. The American Dream is an idea on were a perfect freedom is given to all people no matter social group or race. Many people have a definition of their mind on what is an American Dream. American are viewed as a person who can do the unlimited things. People freedoms and discoveries
The United States as a country has always been an entity unique amongst the world’s myriad of nations: a conglomeration of cultures, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds from around the planet, all fused together to yield something entirely new. Since its very inception, those who dwell within its borders have attempted to ascertain the makeup of the American identity, in order to pin down how exactly one can come to be considered as an American themselves. This is inherently quite a subjective issue, but the conversation primarily boils down to three core factors that make the American people who they are: a dedication to preserving the natural rights of every human being, a belief in the importance of the individual in deciding their own
While Crèvecoeur may insist cultural diversity is the significant quality that establishes American character from any other nation, he and Paine agree that the American identity is formed by the ideas of freedom, civil rights, and justice. According to Micheal True, Paine is able to capture how Americans dream of personal freedom, and how a fairly new and untested government becomes unique to their experience. True depicts Paine's “ essays embellished the American dream and showed a deep trust in the democratic process, as represented by the colonial experiment. It showed a firm belief in a new age, free of the burdens of the past. “ (American Writers:A Collection of Literary Biographies, 506). While Americans seem to demand more from their governments and justice systems, Paine suggests Americans have an uncommon character for justice. Paine says what is lawful and ethical according to the common people is a ubiquitous and specific trait to the Americans. He admits American justice and integrity, “they distinguish us from the herd of common animals” (331). While freedom, justice, and civil rights can be desires of the character from many other nations, the opportunity to enact their ideologies into a new society separates Americans from those under a pre-existing
On the first day of class, I wasn’t so sure what the term “American Exceptionalism” meant, but by the end I have figured it out. American Exceptionalism is the notion that America is uniquely different from the other nations. The reason America is “uniquely different” from the other nations is because, the world expects America to lead, have values, pursue freedom, be diverse and open, and also practice democracy. Being a democratic nation makes us the city upon the hill. America is like a big brother, other nations look to us for help, guidance, and prosperity. The values and beliefs about politics and the government shape our American culture. The stress on a distinct national identity is appropriate within an increasingly diverse nation state and ever globalizing world. I agree upon this statement, because America deserves to be known as the “it” nation. America is more accepting, we are like a melting pot of different cultures and ethnicities.
Nationalism is extreme loyalty and devotion to one particular nation, and many Americans are nationalistic about their country. But even though they are loyal to America, defining what it means to be a true American is tricky. Being American is one complex thing, but the concept of being American can not be fully grasped. What it means to be American may in fact be one of the biggest mysteries of all time. Indeed, discovering what it means to be a true American could possibly take an entire lifetime. One thing, however about all true Americans is certain: we are all alike in that each one of us is different from the Americans in important ways. We are diverse in our backgrounds, races, and religions. Nevertheless, we are exactly identical in the we feel toward our country, even though we express our pride in a million different ways.
The American Self is the common character and values of American people which evolved depending on governmental philosophy, religious belief, and economical aspiration from beginning of its formation to the present. Any of the change in the above factors would contribute to the evolution of the American Self. Over time, the American Self changed from communalism, whole hearted religious faith, and interest in material goods to individualism, self interests, and greed.
American exceptionalism is a term suggesting that America was the best or superior; it was a term saying that it was different than any other place. Winthrop talks about the city upon the hill, which suggests America being a model or setting an example for other countries. We were supposed to be a beacon of liberty and freedom. During the founding of America, America was different than any other place. At its founding America was exceptional because it was different in the way people interacted with each other, different in the way the government worked, and different in its aspirations.
The American Ideological Consensus is that “…the American people have shared much of the same ideals, the same basic principles, and the same patterns of belief” (McClenaghan 104). When America filled itself with ideologically homogenous people, their beliefs started to define our nation and became American identities. If asked what they think of America, peoples of other nations would say that the roads are made of glass, opportunity is in the air, and civil rights are plentiful. These accounts maybe accentuated; however, the underlying message is that the American people have more freedoms then the peoples of other nations do. The most widely known American identity is freedom, and even though that American identity has been tried and tested throughout much of its history, it can still be said that America is a land of liberty.
American exceptionalism is a belief that the United States is different from other nations around the world and as such superior; the term was coined by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831, yet the philosophy of American superiority can be traced all the way back to the days before the United States was even an idea. They saw their new culture as “A city upon a hill” and sought to achieve moral and spiritual perfection. With this moral superiority the colonists, later Americans, saw a duty presented upon them by God and nature to instill such superior values into other cultures and the world. One such example can be clearly seen in the work of St. John de Crèvecoeur in Letters from an American Farmer where the narrator “Farmer James” states his belief