How have American writers encouraged the idea of American exceptionalism?

The sermon that John Winthrop delivered to his fellow Puritans, promoting their God-given destiny to be exceptional, brought about the concept of American exceptionalism: the belief that the United States exists on a pedestal above other nations and therefore must spread its ideals to them. Winthrop also inspired writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman to endorse the idea of the American scholar and perpetuate America’s self-proclaimed exceptionalism.

Emerson encouraged American exceptionalism by redefining the idea of the American scholar. He believed that America had to stop copying Europe and achieve greatness through its own exploits. He wrote, “A nation of men will for the first time exist, because each believes himself inspired by the Divine Soul which also inspires all men.” This phrase mirrors the concept of God-given destiny that Winthrop introduced. Emerson also put great responsibility on the American scholar as the world’s eye and the world’s heart; he believed that a scholar had to lead common men by revealing the hidden truths that exist beyond first impressions. The scholar also had to resist the everyday drama of ordinary people and be aware of the world while not letting its wavering status affect him and his thoughts. Therefore, “it becomes [the American scholar] to feel all confidence in himself... he and he only knows the world.” This arrogant attitude encouraged Americans to feel superior to others and perpetuated American exceptionalism.

Walt Whitman, an American poet, was in turn inspired by Emerson and assumed Emerson’s challenge of redefining the American scholar. He sung praises of America and its excellence and then proclaimed himself to be the first of many great American scholars. However, his approach to the identity of the American scholar was quite different from that of Emerson. Though he believed himself to be an amazing example of an American, he also believed in the power of the common people: “Other states indicate themselves in their deputies... but the genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors... but always most in the common people.” He continued to list the fantastic qualities that all Americans have: “...their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy... the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors...” Whitman seemed to believe that common people are exceptional and because of this, all Americans could become exceptional. In addition, Whitman did not limit American exceptionalism to America alone. “The Americans of all nations at any time upon the Earth have probably the fullest poetical nature.” His definition of an American was any person who had adopted the American ideals of liberty and democracy. As a result, Whitman is saying that anyone can be an American - even if they are a common person not residing in America - which encouraged Americans to spread their ideals to people outside of the United States.

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman, two American writers from the 1800’s, encouraged American exceptionalism by expressing the importance of the American scholar. Emerson described the qualities that an American scholar should have and emphasized the importance of America developing its own ideas, which inspired Whitman to become the first great American scholar. Together, they assisted the expansion of American ideas around the world and within America, inspiring others to do the same to this day.