American Providential History

American history is, in the view of some, not the same as the history of any other nation. Instead, American history is the history of Providence. It is the history of how the divine hand has interacted with the human element to create a nation that is, in many ways, unique among the nations of the world. As such, its history is also unique among the history of the nations. In this view, American history is really American providential history; it's the story of God's interaction with humanity.

American providential history focuses on the unique elements in American history in which human beings have interacted with the divine. As such, it begins with a study of the early American settlers. These settlers, in many cases, came to America from Europe for religious reasons. In some instances, they were persecuted for their religious beliefs, such as was the case with the Pilgrims. In other instances, people came to America for missionary purposes - they hoped to spread Christianity to the native people of America.

From there, people interested in American providential history focus on the amazing events that occurred during the nation's founding. They look at movements like the Great Awakening, which had a significant impact on the religious views of the colonists. In many ways, it was this Great Awakening that was responsible for the political spirit of independence that ultimately led to the creation of the United States.

The interaction of the Divine with America doesn't stop there, however. American providential history looks at the subsequent events that have occurred, as well. For example, the struggle over slavery is viewed as God's working in society to make sure that the God-given rights of life and liberty are protected for all people, not just the privileged few.

A providential view of American history also sees America as a unique country in the eyes of God. It views America as a "city on a hill" that serves as a model for the rest of the world when it comes to liberty and freedom.
Finally, American providential history doesn't try to gloss over the bad events in the American story. Mistakes that have been made along the way are seen, however, not as God's plan for America, but rather the result of human weakness and human frailty. These mistakes don't mean that Providence hasn't been involved in American history, rather that the story of American history is the story of God's purposes and humanity's responses.