BIG QUESTIONS:
- What are the roots of American exceptionalism in the American experience?
- What was Manifest Destiny and how does it relate to American exceptionalism and our current ideology on America’s place in the world?
Starter (verbal): Discuss with a partner. What is happening in this painting? What is the message?
What is Manifest Destiny?
How did Manifest Destiny shape the American West?
What does John O’Sullivan believe about America?
How has his ideology played out over the years?
Do you see parallels between his ideology and modern foreign policy driven by American exceptionalism?
PASEO (REVIEW THIS WEEK’S CONCEPTS):
- What is Putin trying to get the reader to accept? What sort of foreign policy does he believe the US should embrace?
- Why does Putin criticize the idea of American exceptionalism?
- Do you agree with Putin? How does the principle of ethos influence your interpretation of this text?
- How does Putin appeal to the values of his reader?
- What did the Bush administration seem to believe about America’s role in the world?
- Was their use of rhetoric ethical?
- In your opinion, is the Bush Doctrine a good strategy for fighting terrorism?
- In general, what do you think of the concept of American exceptionalism? Is it more or less appropriate now than it was in the early decades of our founding?
TIME?
What questions do we have for Thomas Jefferson? Andrew Jackson?
Do a bit of background research on these two presidents.