Midterm Practice Essay

Midterm Practice Essay

“[W]hen he shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding [colonies], ‘the Lord make it like that of New England.’ For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us[.]”
- John Winthrop, 1630

America has always been a nation that has been defined by its boldness; an attribute that can both be negative and positive in the light of the world. We have always been characterized by our natural belief in our superiority and also our duty as a nation to the rest of the world. Our every decisions we have made as Americans have always been personified by this belief, this philosophy that wraps around America like a blanket. This has been an idea that has been integrated in our society since we have been born, even before we were technically the United States of America. In many ways, this philosophy was first conceived by John Winthrop, who’s Arbella Sermon would establish America’s entire way of viewing themselves as a body. John Winthrop’s philosophy of a “city upon a hill” would set a precedent for American society in the future.


[The Puritans established a society that was embedded in their own personal arrogance in their faith.] When the Puritans came over from England, they brought their ideas on how to form a society. As Englishmen, they brought along the inherent arrogance and pride of such and set high expectations for what their society would be like. They believed firmly that their society that they were creating would be one that in the future individuals would look back and hope to achieve. This can be compared to the lust of Rome, leaders like Napoleon and Hitler would strive to the success and achievement of Roman society as John Winthrop hoped individuals who strive towards the society of New England. But, different from the society of Rome, John Winthrop hoped that New England would be a beacon of piety and religiosity. The idea of a “city upon a hill” is a biblical notion similar to the way that you are supposed to shine your light across the world. John Winthrop aspired that New England would be an example to everyone, as Rome was an example of military might and democracy, that New England would be an example of religious piety. When the Puritans requested for the Massachusetts Bay Charter, one of their main points of reason was the spread and preaching of Christianity, which hearkened back towards the Spanish, and also emphasized the entire philosophy of the Puritans.


[As American society progressed, people began forming the structure of America’s government revolving around the philosophy of John Winthrop.] When the founding fathers gathered to make their claim for creating the United States of America, there was an obvious sense of arrogance in their argument. The very idea of America being better and the best was an idea that began there, however it stemmed from the sermon made by John Winthrop a hundred and fifty years earlier. Additionally, while the exact religious inspiration of the founding fathers is debatable, as so many were theists, it can be very well argued that America was founded upon the principles of religion. However, as the Puritans established a precedent for separation of church and state, this too would make its way into the creation of the American government. It is clear though that the dream of the “city upon a hill” lived on in the hearts of new Americans as they fought for their independence. In a way, it can be argued that the simple arrogance of believing you can overthrow your monarch is an example of a belief that you are somehow better as individuals. When Americans came together collectively to compose the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, the notion of America’s duty and superiority came across clearly in the text.


[The remnant of this early dream still exists in American society today, governing almost every aspect of the identity of American.] At the time after the American Revolution, the idea of being “American” was extremely new and people had to look somewhere for a sense of identity and the founding fathers reaching towards John Winthrop spread like wildfire to every new American as a sense of purpose. This idea of America’s natural superiority and duty in the world dictates, directly or indirectly, every decision America as a body takes. This idea of duty could be seen in the space race, where John F. Kennedy announced that we would send a man to the moon in a decade before anyone else did. This idea of Americanism perhaps was best personified in the 1960’s, the era of the space race, as that period so well characterized the philosophy left behind by John Winthrop. In our international affairs our arrogance, but also our duty can be seen clearly. America is one of the leading countries to send foreign aid to third world countries. However, we also are seen in the world as being arrogant and stepping out of bounds because of foreign policy, most specifically with the war in Iraq. This idea of “a city upon a hill”, the idea that America must and is superior and has a duty to spread to the world their philosophies continues to expand and dictate the decisions of our nation.


This philosophy of American greatness is one that will continue to be a part of American society for as long as we continue to be a nation. Our belief in ourselves as being “a city upon a hill”, which was first preached and championed by John Winthrop is one that as Americans we have continued and continued to achieve. In every sense it can be seen that we are a great nation, a nation that has been and hopefully will continue to be filled with promise. The idea of New England being a place that would be a place of glory and praise perhaps was too narrow-minded of John Winthrop; he didn’t realize that it wouldn’t be New England, but the United States of America that would fill his role of “a city upon a hill”. This idea is exactly parallel to Rome, but in many ways, our society can be comparable to Rome, the society that by so many has been desired and sought after. Perhaps that is a rather assuming statement to make, but perhaps it also could simply be a testament to the American sense of ego.