American Exceptionalism

From the first thirteen colonies of America to present day America there has been something that is different than what is found in other countries. Is this because it is the first Republic in the modern era, is it because it's the first successful colonial revolution, or because it's the first true free nation in the world (Gardbaum). The truth is that it is all three that combine to create the pride, self-confidence, and swagger that America tends to be known for. This is the idea of American Exceptionalism, the idea that America is the greatest and most free nation in the world.

Because of American Exceptionalism the idea of the "American Way" has been created. It description includes pride, self-confidence, and swagger. It has been in full force during things like the revolution, the two World Wars, and recently after 9/11. In the country that was founded upon toughness, relentlessness, and competition, these characteristics were bound to surface. There are three main areas that have been influenced by this, the economy, foreign policy, and domestic policy.

The United States' Economy is a free open market economy that is based off of competition (Krislov). This is a clear example of American Exceptionalism. The United States is the first country to have such an economy and so far it has been one of the top economies in the world, as it is typically a gage for what the world economy is doing. Its foundation of competition promotes the idea that if you are not tough and relentless you will not make it in the American Economy (Krislov). With that being said the people who do succeed are the people who have the chip on their shoulder, the swagger, and it's the timid shy people who struggle in the United States. Because of all of this, people, Americans and non-Americans, see Americans as being exceptional, and they find themselves having more pride in what they have accomplished and pride in where they come from. This type of situation is unique to the United States of America and not always found in other nations (Krislov).

Another big area where American Exceptionalism is demonstrated is in the foreign policy. From the Revolution to the Two World Wars to the modern day war in Iraq, Americans have always gone into war with that chip on their shoulders saying here the Americans come, you better "watch out" (Gardbaum). This is a clear example of how the Americans and the rest of the world feel about the way America can impact the rest of the world. The Foreign policy doesn't only include wars either. It includes who we support and trade with and who we don't. What America does with the foreign policy, like the economy, is one of the biggest influences for other countries' foreign policies (Gardbaum). This could be attributed to the history of the United States and the success they have had through wars and how they have acted on the international scene. It shows how highly most countries think of the US and proves the idea of American Exceptionalism.

Just like the foreign policy the domestic policy shows proof of American Exceptionalism. Americans take pride in being the first free country, but they take more pride in being the first successful free country (Zipp). The laws and policies in America promote competitiveness but also protect the people from being cheated. People for the most part trust the government that it is there to keep things fair. It's rare for a nation to claim their freedom while the majority of the people support the government as well. Not many, if any other countries can claim that. It's probably the clearest form of American Exceptionalism, as it shows how unique and special the people of the United States were and are.

The idea that America is the greatest and most free nation in the world is known as American Exceptionalism. The people of America have a rare blend of freedom and government that works together to make this idea reality. There is no other country that can say that. We went through a depression and a civil war, but that couldn't destroy this great nation and its pride. America has had its rough times, but the pride in the letters USA has never gone away.

Work Cited

Gardbaum, Stephen. "THE MYTH AND THE REALITY OF AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL EXCEPTIONALISM. " Michigan Law Review 107.3 (2008): 391-466. ABI/INFORM Global. ProQuest. Michigan State University Library, East Lansing, Michigan. 2 Feb. 2009

Krislov, Samuel. "American Federalism as American Exceptionalism". Publis. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. JSTOR. Michigan State University Libraries, East Lansing, Michigan. Feb18.

Zipp, Samuel. "SUBURBIA AND AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM. " Rev. of: When America Became Suburban. Reviews in American History 36.4 (2008): 594-601. Humanities Module. ProQuest. Michigan State University Library, East Lansing, Michigan 2 Feb. 2009

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