John Winthrop And His Ideology Of America Being A City Upon A Hill
Throughout American history, famous leaders such as John F. Kennedy, have used the beliefs of John Winthrop and his “city upon a hill” ideology to influence the American people that their nation must have a strong, moral, and ethical foundation. Some critics, such as, Tom Geoghegan and Peter Baker, believe America has not lived up to those ideals. However, despite some exceptions, America has shown the world that it truly is the “city upon a hill.”
John Winthrop believed that in the “new world” the settlers would need to build a community based on correct morals and ethics, or else they would be punished by God. Winthrop stressed the idea that the settlers would be successful if and only if, they worked towards the greater good and not towards personal vendettas. John F. Kennedy’s objective was to persuade his nation that he would be a great leader to his people. Through the use of rhetoric, Kennedy implements the image he wants to create for his nation: The USA will be “a model to others.”
Some have suggested that America has not lived up to these ideals. Tom Geoghegan, a writer from the Atlantic, argues that we are “completely wrong” about the message John Winthrop was conveying to us. Geoghegan asserts that our nation, in the very beginning was not strong and in a position of dominance and control. He highlights that the tone of Winthrop’s speech was one of “terrifying humility” and not of confidence, which is what he suggests that today’s Americans interpret his tone to be. This would go to show that our nation was not this dominant powerhouse from the very get go and that the nation was built on a different value, humility. Interestingly enough, Winthrop believed the only way to flourish in establishing this new nation was to be humble. Geoghegan distinguishes these differences in philosophy on how to succeed in establishing the nation because he believes the Americans are not following the ideals of Winthrop that the Americans claim to value so dear. Geoghegan characterizes the Americans as “proud and boastful,” and that America, as a nation does not “abridge itself of its superfluities” and care to “each other’s necessities.” For these reasons, Geoghegan justifies we are not a “city upon a hill” and that America is “not a place we want to be.” Geoghegan supports his claims with evidence, informing his audience that “nearly a quarter of American children live in poverty.” He exclaims that if America truly does value their community and is a city upon a hill, then why does the “richest country in the world” have so much poverty?
The New York Times journalist, Peter Baker, also asserts his claim that America is not a “city upon a hill” and in fact, our President, Donald Tump, is ruining our country’s reputation by being scandalous and corrupt. Baker comments about the recent controversy where “President Trump is accused of breaking the law by pressuring the president of Ukraine to open a corruption investigation connected to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a potential Democratic opponent in the 2020 election.” Baker, along with others, believe Trump is abusing his power for political gain. It illustrates how Trump is not living up to the standards expected from the leader of the free nation. Baker suggests Trump is “damaging the notion of America” as a “shining city on a hill” because he is putting the interest of the nation secondary to himself. For these reasons, to Baker, it “leaves the impression” that America is not a “city upon a hill.”
John Winthrop first establishes that we are a “city upon a hill.” John Winthrop’s audience at the time of his speech were a small group of Puritan settlers. This allowed for him to address his people truthfully and freely without having to worry about pleasing other groups of people. Because of this, Winthrop was able to rally and unify the settlers with a central message. Winthrop informed the settlers that “they are entered into a covenant with God” and that to succeed in building their “new world” they need to withhold their covenant. Winthrop goes into detail about how they can withhold their covenant, saying they must “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God.” At the same time, Winthrop warns that if the settlers “neglect the observation of the covenant,” they will “fail to embrace the present world and prosecute carnal intentions, seeking great things for theirselves and their posterity, then they will not be successful in building their “new world.” Winthrop is warning his settlers that “the Lord will break out in wrath” if the settlers “breach” their covenant. These foundations that John Winthrop set forth on the Arabella influenced America’s more modern leaders, including President John F. Kennedy.
John F. Kennedy’s audience at the time of his speech were the American people. Because of his audience, Kennedy was a little constrained with what he could say because he was trying to persuade an entire nation that he was the right man for the job. Still, Kennedy’s central message remained similar to Winthrop. Kennedy stressed the idea that America needed to be “a model to others.” Kennedy exclaimed this because he knew that everyone, in particular, the Soviet Union, would be watching their every move. This is why Kennedy believes it’s imperative that the nation should be doing the right things, so they could be a strong, dominant nation. Kennedy differs with Winthrop on the idea of how it will be done. Kennedy appeals to pathos by informing his nation that success will be built through the “work of men,” not through a divine way. Unlike Winthrop, John F. Kennedy is trying to win over his doubters by relating to them on a personal level, not spiritual. Overall, John Winthrop and John F. Kennedy both agreed that the nation must be based on strong, moral, foundational values and established America as a “city upon a hill.”
In conclusion, although Geoghegan and Baker make solid arguments, America is still the beacon of light and a “city upon a hill.” Of course America, as a nation, has its flaws, but then again what other country doesn’t. America is the land of opportunity, a place where people have the right to chase their dreams and not be persecuted for their beliefs. America has the strongest moral and ethical values because it was established the right way. In today’s 21st century, with all its distractions and temptations, it is imperative that we as a nation, stay true to ourselves and uphold the values that made America what it is today. For these reasons, America has been a “city upon a hill,” a country that should be looked up to, since the time of John Winthrop and it will continue to be so.
