The Historical Destiny of the United States

In order to understand the special work which the United States has been called upon to do in the history of Humanity, we have first to remember that the American people are, historically, that section of the people of Europe whose task it was to explore the continent of America, to subdue it and to develop it. It is impossible to understand the historical significance and importance of any country as long as we consider that country only by itself. In order to determine its true place in the scheme of things we have to consider its connection with the general stream of historical tendencies. It is needless to say that a purely partisan outlook-the so-called "patriotic" outlook, for instance-is a hopeless handicap to the finding of the truth. In the study of history as in the investigations of natural science, the truth is arrived at only after an impartial and dispassionate inquiry.