The Critical Junctures Project is a site dedicated to understanding the critical moments in American history that have shaped the nation. Such junctures have enabled generations of Americans to pursue their dreams. From Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence to the hotly debated election of 2016, key moments in American history have set the path for others to follow. From the person running a small start up company using the WiFi at Starbucks, to the 18 year old leaving home to join the Marines, our country is full of individuals with hopes and desires to reach their full potential. What enables that to happen? What prevents it? Just look around and you will see that Americans accomplish incredible things every day. We believe this is not by mistake but otherwise the consequence of key moments in history that combined shape this continued success in self-government we call America.

What are the key junctures in history that make America a unique exception in global history? It’s a fair question. Is America unique to the impoverished? To Americans who look back to an ancestry of slavery? To recent immigrants? Creating a more perfect union means that the critical moments in American History that have enabled this diverse nation of over 300 million people to continue to grow and excel. This did not happen by accident, but was otherwise the consequence of the handwork, suffering, and struggle by millions. But where does the understanding of this challenge begin? It begins, like everything else, in our nations history, and that is why I want you to join us in this intellectual endeavor. Critical junctures, known to academics as “Path Dependency” argues that certain moments in the history set the course for future unforeseen occurrences. The path that America has progressed on has led to amazing accomplishments and empowered millions to do great things and build comfortable lives.

The American Presidency Project studies American Presidents and their individual contributions to American Exceptionalism. Check our blog posts for study and discussion guides on biographies of American Presidents.

Is American history exceptional? American Exceptionalism has unfortunately become a partisan term. A term that is criticized broadly. But it is hard to dispute the successes of the United States over the nations short history. As an anecdote, I recall during the summer of 2012, the world briefly switched the channel from watching U.S. athletes dominate the medal table at the London Olympics, to view engineers and scientist in NASA headquarters celebrate the successful landing of the roving laboratory “Curiosity” in the Gale Crater on planet Mars. I would have really enjoyed being in the mind of those declinist pundits who desperately look for any indicator of America’s downfall. They must have quietly sat in awe and wondered what makes America such an exceptional place….why?

There is only one way to find out! Research American history and think about it yourself. Why is there a daily wait of hours to the Visa section of American Embassies all around the world? Why do we have an all volunteer military filled with motivated individuals willing to fight and die for their country? Why does the U.S. have great universities, great athletes, great entertainers, great scientists, and the absolute best innovators? We at The Critical Junctures Project believe that critical moments in American history have created a path where so many have been able to achieve incredible things. Here, we attempt to explore these moments….Join Us!