For the nearly two and a half centuries since its founding, America has had a special place in the world. It has been known as the land of the free and is considered the leader of the free world. This is because of the value that the people of the United States place on individual freedom of choice, religion and politics. This message of freedom has been passed down the generations straight from the people who fought in the revolution and founded the country. Those who wrote about the United States at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th saw America as a land of unparalleled opportunity for growth, a blessed place hand-picked by God, and the only place on Earth where people could live in equality and anyone could do anything, but their writings do not tell the entire story of America and her people.
That America and its people were hand-picked by God to be where they were is an argument espoused by both John and Winthrop and Jonathan Edwards. John Winthrop saw the United States as blessed because the people who lived there were equal in all ways. The poor and the rich helped each other in their various ways, and all men lived in harmony. (Winthrop). Jonathan Edwards believed the land to be blessed because it was obvious to him that this is where Christ would make his appearance upon the second coming. (Edwards). This is because he thought it obvious that North America was the continent of prophecy, far from the Church. (Edwards). Both men see the United states as being special to God, because of the freedom of the people and because of the fact that it was able to prosper, even though it is far from the power of the Church.
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"Why did America’s Founding Generation find her Exceptional?".
As much faith as religious men placed in the special status of the United States, political leaders also espoused their opinion that the United States was something special. George Washington expresses his pleasure in the prosperity and success of the country after the uncertain and bloody days of the revolution. (Washington). Thomas Jefferson expresses his faith in the political system, and his happiness in the fact that in America, at least, people were allowed to disagree with the government without fear. (Jefferson). Monroe also expresses his faith that the United States was special, because it was not going to get involved with the disputes that plagued Europe at the time. It could remain free and impartial. (Monroe). The founding fathers all expressed their belief that the freedom of the American people to choose their own form of government, free from the influence of the countries that had oppressed it, made the country great.
America’s greatness was never in doubt where its founding fathers were concerned. It is interesting, however, that those who speak of the freedom of each citizen do not mention the slaves who worked in the fields. Also, the question remains as to how great the country still is. Yes, the democratic freedom of the people is still valued and exercised, though many watching this year’s election would question the value of that choice, since there have never been two candidates as disliked as the two primary presidential candidates. (Gallup). The current state of affairs, along with the memory of the plight of the slaves while the founding fathers were praising the freedom of the people, put a decided tarnish on the shining picture they paint of America’s greatness.
From its very beginnings, America has been seen as something special. The free people have given the country a character that made men feel beloved of God and made the first politicians hopeful for a bright future. The question remains, however, was America ever the great land of freedom she was said to be, and has she lived up to her prophesied greatness?
