CLEP US History II

Answer: E - American exceptionalism is the concept that America is not only unique, but also inherently imbued with a moral obligation to personally spread its brand of democracy and freedom around the world, even if its actions are not welcomed by the international community. The concept first dates back to Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, in which he noted that the new nation was “exceptional.” Over the years, as America became a superpower, many Americans came to view their “exceptional” nature as one that should, by nature, be spread around the world for the “benefit” of all mankind.