Keep Alachua County Beautiful is a non-profit organization an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, believes that each of us holds an obligation to preserve and protect our environment. Through our everyday choices and actions, we collectively have a huge impact on our world. It 's really a simple concept, but one with far reaching
Since this day, America has greatly expanded and become one of the world’s leading countries. The development of America and its government did not just occur on its own. It took many great men, difficult decisions, and quite
After pondering Mr. Stark’s historical data about the “American Miracle” I would agree in part that Mr. Stark’s belief that it was largely due to the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution, perhaps catapulted America to a place where democracy, inventors, religious freedom, and ownership thrived. The “American Miracle” thrived conceivably, that people believed in something bigger than
Alfred Bester says that there are two threads to his view of American Exceptionalism: one based on Seymour Martin Lipset and another on Frederick Jackson Turner.1 He says that Martin Lipset said that the United States is exceptional because it came out of a "revolutionary event" that set up America as "the first new nation" and built a vision for the future on the ideology that caused them to break with England in the first place.2 He says that Turner thought that because the U.S. had a lot of unclaimed land that regular people could own land and not have to depend on anyone else. This means that there wouldn’t be an aristocracy and that small land-owners stuck to the values of the Revolution.3 The combination of what Lipset and Turner said
American Exceptionalism was coined by Alexis de Tocqueville in his book Democracy in America. To illustrate how the American way of thought is superior to the other ways of the world, Tocqueville expresses that the American way of thought is distinctively unique and special. This distinction is exemplified through liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism, and Laissez-Faire Economics. These qualities prove America’s exceptionality and difference from other countries. Although American Exceptionalism originated in the early 1800s, the idyllic values Tocqueville paints in his book can be seen throughout American history.
Famous French historian Alexis de Tocqueville once said, “America is great because she is good. If America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.” (qtd. in Carson 651.) In “Recovering America’s Exceptionalism,” Ben Carson explains how we are losing touch with the values that once made America a great country.
The U.S used American exceptionalism to justify Native American removal by trying to trick Natives into believing they can be “helpful” to each other and by using power that they knew the natives didn’t have. In source C it states, “listened to our professions of friendship; we called him brother, and he believed us.” This shows the trickery used by Americans towards the Natives, causing them to be forced out of land. Similarly it states, “He thought the U.S government would trick, bribe, and bully Indian tribes as it carried out the law. The trickery, He feared, would lure Indians into selling their lands.
Founding the country of the United States of America was no easy task. It took great fortitude and ambition from the pioneers. The qualities of the American settlers who were intrical to the development of the most powerful nation in the world include devotion, bravery, and perseverance as evident through the expansion Westward, the American Revolution, and the reunification as a nation after the Civil War. Americans proved their bravery as they risked their lives for the sake of Westward expansion. A successful nation is not only dependent on its people but its land.
In American culture, there are certain “living mythologies” that have become imbedded in our identity as a nation. All of the societal myths that exist in the United States can be considered a result of so-called “False American Exceptionalism.” From early childhood to adulthood, the idea that America behaves better than other nations, is responsible for all the good in the world, and has some divine responsibility to regulate international affairs has been drilled into American minds. Throughout the decades, these beliefs have been showcased by dozens of American leaders. Politicians have described the U.S. as the “last best hope of Earth” and an “indispensable nation.”
The notion of American exceptionalism swept through the nation, and the concept of moving West was very important in the 1840’s and 50’s. Americans believed that Indians lacked civilization and they wanted to obtain their land in order to expand the United States. They believed that it was their destiny to seize land from native people and admit it into the U.S. as their own. Manifest Destiny was a mentality that American people had in which they believed it was their destiny to proceed West and obtain land through the notion of American exceptionalism, stripping the land from the native people and forcing the creation of Indian reservations. With Texas consisting of fertile soil that was ideal for the growing of cotton, Americans viewed this as a very profitable portion
A Debating Democracy America has been built on the principle that everyone has a voice and that everyone should use it, this leads to an innumerable amount of arguments, some that still persist. In The Thirteen American Arguments by award-winning writer, NBC Analyst, and American journalist, Howard Fineman, the author outlines what he believes are the thirteen most fundamentals arguments in U.S history. These thirteen arguments as well the numerous others are the building blocks of democracy and debate in our country. One of the ideals that makes this country unique, is the value of free speech. Everyone has the freedom to make their voice heard to the rest of the country.
In the beginning, our nation- as any new nation would start- got off shaky. With tensions high in Britain, casually spreading to other European countries, trade was difficult. Not only was trade difficult, but preventing rebellion from having to form a new government no one knew how to use was also a struggle. Though we had these problems, our nation’s people persevered through the hard times. Our nation obviously overcame the new problems we faced to become one of the strongest nations in the world.
Long before this country became a country, men and women traveling to the new world had a vision of what they wanted - a city upon a hill - one that shone brightly unlike any other country so that all the world could see. America is a beacon of light because of visions that became reality - visions that became reality through hard work, sweat, patriotism, and a belief. Today the eyes of the world still rest on this nation. Each spring my family and I attend a rodeo, and during the opening ceremonies of this rodeo, I am filled with great pride in my country. The American flag is proudly carried around the arena as the wind fills it with life.
Strong leadership, I believe, is the key to having a strong America. Throughout history, there has been leaders, good and bad, but I believe if the citizens have leaders that take into account their (the citizens) feelings and the wellbeing of the country as a whole, we can have a strong America. America cannot have just any type of leaders, there are some key aspects that the leaders should have in order to lead people (the citizens) efficiently. A leader should listen to others and their ideas; a leader should not boss people around but try to help people reach their potential and add value to them by encouraging them; a leader should also admit when they are wrong and learn from their mistakes so they can reevaluate everything and try to
Perhaps we can't. So rather, let us look at what makes America unique compared to other
