American Exceptionalism:A Self-fulfilling Prophecy

As a theory and ideology,American exceptionalism considers the United States to be a unique country that differs from the others.In popular culture,it is used to explain the myth of America's success.By exploring its origin and its evolution throughout American history,this thesis argues that American exceptionalism is in fact a self-fulfilling prophecy.This thesis first explores the religious roots of American exceptionalism.Basically,there are two religious groups that crossed the Atlantic Ocean and set their feet on the continent of North America in the early 17 th century.One of the groups,the Pilgrims,was led by William Bradford,and the other,the Puritans,was led by John Winthrop.Both groups articulated a mission to create a model for the world to follow--a perfect Christian nation that would help the rest of the world redeem itself.This primal concept that would later evolve into the idea of American exceptionalism represented a perfect ideology for them at that time.It not only contributed to the survival of early religious immigrants,but also served as a source of their spiritual inspiration.Chapter Two of the thesis examines the secularization of American exceptionalism from three perspectives: political construct,economic construct and societal construct.By exploring the experiences and writings of the three essential figures: Thomas Paine,J.Hector St.John Crevecoeur and Alexis de Tocqueville,this chapter recounts their contribution to the formation of American exceptionalism.The founding of the American republic as the first of its kind thus epitomizes the secularization of American exceptionalism.Chapter Three explains the development of American exceptionalism.During the Westward expansion,it claims that America's special fate is to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given them for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to them.In a sense,Manifest Destiny that emerged during this period has become the parallel principle of American exceptionalism,and it was exploited to rationalize and purify America's expansion.Hence,the theory of American exceptionalism,and the start,the founding,the development of the country facilitate each other.It can also be stated that American exceptionalism is America's self-fulfilling prophecy.