In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he assured his followers in Galilee, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." These divine sentiments were echoed by Puritan leader John Winthrop to his Massachusetts Bay Colony congregation in 1630. He believed God had ordained a few souls to build a righteous country and be a “city on a hill” for the rest of the world to revere. American news mogul and publisher of Time and Life magazines, Henry Luce, grew up as the son of Presbyterian missionaries in China. In February of 1941, he penned his legendary polemic “The American Century” for Life with the rhetorical zeal of a fiery preacher. He shared Winthrop’s vision of America. He believed American politics was mired in …show more content…
His view was not short-sighted, but unprecedentedly looked toward the post-war world and the role America should play. He imagined an age in which the United States vibrantly sought after their own global ascendency amongst nations. Luce wanted to project American power internationally. He compellingly used theological and nationalist rhetoric to entice the American public to seize the opportunity history was offering (since 1919) and move away from isolationism. He alleged that America’s isolationist policy was responsible for the recent international failures. Once their hegemony was established, the moral purity of the United States necessitated they use their tools, as world leader, for betterment of all peoples — through a burgeoning of democratic principles. Uniquely American ideals, such as freedom, justice, love of truth, and the principle of charity, were to refashion the political atmosphere globally. Luce promoted a mythic ideology regarding America’s past and believed the United States and its citizens were a special breed. Luce’s premise was that the high-minded intentions embodied in the American character suited them to rebuild the international political structure after their own
As the Reconstruction Era ended, the United States became the up and coming world power. The Spanish-American war was in full swing, and the First World War was well on its way. As a result of the open-door policy, England, Germany, France, Russia, and eventually Japan experienced rapid industrial growth; the United States decided to pursue a foreign policy because of both self- interest and idealism. According to the documents, Economic self- interest, rather than idealism was more significant in driving American foreign policy from 1895 to 1920 because the United States wanted to protect their foreign trade, property and their access to recourses. While the documents also show that Nationalistic thought (idealism) was also crucial in driving American foreign policy, economic Self- interest prevailed.
In the book, America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience, Robert H. Zieger discusses the events between 1914 through 1920 forever defined the United States in the Twentieth Century. When conflict broke out in Europe in 1914, the President, Woodrow Wilson, along with the American people wished to remain neutral. In the beginning of the Twentieth Century United States politics was still based on the “isolationism” ideals of the previous century. The United States did not wish to be involved in European politics or world matters. The U.S. goal was to expand trade and commerce throughout the world and protect the borders of North America.
There may not be two more contrasting characters of early America then Thomas Morton and John Winthrop. Morton was nicknamed, "Leader of Misrule" while Winthrop was seen as the "model of [a] perfect earthly ruler" (147). These two figures not only help settle a new land, they also had firsthand knowledge of each other. They are not two people that lived years apart from each other but rather they lived concurrently. With two such polarizing people living in a small new land, there was bound to be at least one disagreement. We are fortunate to have writings from each of these two fascinating men. One can't help but be thoroughly entertained when reading the words that each man left behind. Morton was the rebellious and raucous and Winthrop was the conservative preacher. Each had different ideas and ideals for what America was to become. Their two opinions could not differ much more from the other but they both weren't quite right. It seems that America has found a middle ground. Perhaps these two help set the path to where we stand now.
As the United States developed into a world economic power, it also became a military and political power. Certain things led Americans to become more involved in world affairs, such as territorial growth. There were also consequences to the nation’s new role, like conflict between citizens and people of power. United States government and leaders had to learn the “hard way”, the challenges and negativity that they would face, such as loss of money and lack of control between certain nations, and the positive effects such as expansion of territory and alliances.
The Monroe Doctrine reflected the concerns and ambitions of a fledgling nation that was brave enough to declare its sovereignty on the world stage. The Doctrine, in stating that European powers ought not to intervene in America’s affairs, established the US as a world power, although one that had inadequate, hemispheric aspirations. However, these aspirations would extend, and in future years the Doctrine would substantiate its usefulness for interventionists, as well as protectionists. Being conceivably the most distinguishable and the most revered as regards principles of diplomacy, the doctrine’s influence on the popular imagination was so great that it described the limits of standard decisions on policy, in turn influencing the choice of preferences that US Presidents had for most of the last two centuries.
Edward, Rebecca and Henretta, James and Self, Robert. America A Concise History. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2012.
The United States has had a changing view on the management of foreign policy from neutrality to a defender of democracy. It is characterized by the Monroe Doctrine during the 20th century that states no American interference in European affairs unless the democracy of the western hemisphere were to be threatened. This ideology was later abandoned with the entering of the U.S. in WWI, WWII, and the Vietnam War. The immigrants of this nation were the backbone of the working class that enabled for the U.S. to prosper economically in an open trade. As an established super power the United States has had a series of world relationships that began in 1877 to the progression of today that established the fundamental values of American exceptionalism.
It is the belief that America expresses its cultural superiority through its wealth and dominance, and its superiority is measured in military strength. Using the appeal of logos, he states, “to the idea that its power is a sign of God 's favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations— to make them richer and happier and wiser, to remake them, that is, in its own shining image” (Fulbright 1). This belief that “the United States has a divinely ordained role to play in the sacred drama of the world history” (Lears 33) is one that Fulbright argues must not succeed. According to “The Arrogance of Power Revisited” by Jackson Lears, Fulbright was concerned that “America was losing its perspective on what was within its capacity to control and what was beyond it”
Traxel, David. 1898: The Birth of the American Century. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1998. Print.
Iryie, Akira. The Cambridge History of American Foreign Relations: The Globalizing of America, 1913-1945. Volume 3. New York: Cambridge University Press 1993
The 1820s marked the beginning of a new found sense of national pride and self confidence that carried the United States through the nineteenth century. During this period of time, everyday Americans started to disregard the insignificance that many European powers had placed on the United States on the world stage and pushed their democratic republican views into the march of improvement, an echoing new idea in Western culture. What might have been interpreted elsewhere as tediously irritating, it elevated a new goal for mankind. Invoked by the fear of European takeover in the Americas, the foundation of the Monroe Doctrine set up the United States’ hundred year period of isolation from European activity creating new exchanges and opportunities
In 1960 American Journalist and Politician, Clare Boothe Luce delivered a speech to Journalists at the Women's National Press CLub, criticizing the American Press in favor of public demand for sensational stories. Luce prepares her audience for her message through the use of a critical tone.
American journalist and politician Claire Boothe Luce, and her speech to the journalist at the Women's National Press Club, criticize the American press for surrendering fulfilling work for cheap dramatize stories. Luce, in her speech, discussed the many problems the journalist face in the writing community. This purpose is to introduce problems in the writing community. She uses happy tone to appeal to her uninterested colleagues, as well as, diction, ethos, pathos, and logos. Claire Luce gives a powerful speech while bringing the American press down.
At the turn of the century, America and the views of its people were changing. Many different ideas were surfacing about issues that affected the country as a whole. The Republican Party, led by William McKinley, were concentrating on the expansion of the United States and looking to excel in power and commerce. The Democratic Party at this time was led by William Jennings Bryan, who was absorbed in a sponge of morality and was concerned with the rights of man. The nation’s self-interest was divided into different ideas between the two parties. At this time imperialism and anti-imperialism were the dominant topics regarding America’s destiny.
Johnson, Loch K. 1942-. American Foreign Policy and the Challenges of World Leadership. Power, Principle, and the Constitution. New York: Oxford UP, 2015. Print.