Documents & Debates: American Exceptionalism and the Civil War

Andy Lang and Jeff discuss the idea of American Exceptionalism - is America a special, distinct place because of its political culture and ideas? - and the Civil War. In particular, they discuss the question the Civil War presented: would America be exceptional because it sought to live up to its founding principles, or would exceptionalism result from the creation of a new country, based on the “science” of a racial hierarchy?

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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