American Exceptionalism or Siniatic Covenant

When the American studies movement was founded in the 1930's, in order to explain United States, many emphasized on the idea of America's uniqueness. The notion which highlight the profound contrast- in term of society, culture and politics- between the U.S and other countries around the world. Historically speaking American's holier-than-thou attitude (1) or what is usually named as American Exceptionalism is not a new notion, it started as early as 1630s in the Massachusetts Bay Colony when john Winthrop, a non- separating Congregationalist, addressed his people " we shall be city upon hill" the words that centuries later would be quoted over and over by U.S presidents.
"The word "exceptional" was first employed as a description by Alexis de Tocqueville, the French observer who visited the U.S in 1830s and 1840s. The concept was also used by the activist in the communist movement during the late 1920 as they sought to reconcile the American experience- and the weakness of socialism in the U.S- with the defining tenets of Marxist theory. Exceptionalim was later revived during the cold war years as a justification for, and explanation of, the role of the U.S in leading the so called free world. The U.S it was said had been constructed around values such as democracy, freedom and opportunity" (2). It has a "mission" to promote these across the glob, or as Howard Zinn says in his essay "the power and the glory, myth of American Exceptionalism";(3)
" American Exceptionalism is the notion that the United States alone has the right whether by divine sanction or moral obligation, to bring civilization, or democracy, or liberty to the rest of the world, by violence if necessary… expanding into another territory, occupying the territory and dealing harshly with people%2