American Exceptionalism and the American Dream

America’s early national history is intended to demonstrate that certain values imbedded early on compose what Americans still think of as American exceptionalism. Individual economic interests merged with ethical values and rules of personal conduct to express the nation’s social and political goals. Nations often pride themselves on a perceived sense of historical exceptionalism. Claims of exceptionalism usually assume the exclusive and superior qualities of a people. However, American exceptionalism differs from others in two ways. The first is in its strong emphasis on economic values, while joining this approach to theology and the institutions of government. The second distinctive facet of American exceptionalism is the conviction that it is not exclusive to one people or resting on inherent racial traits, but based on core values as noted above and practices that can and should be exported to others.