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[[Alexis de Tocqueville]] is commonly cited as the originator of the phrase, and once said that the United States held a special place among [[nation]]s because it was a country of [[immigrant]]s and the first modern [[democracy]].  He specifically cited the [[American Founding]] as the basis of this exceptionalism.  Tocqueville wrote:

[[Alexis de Tocqueville]] is commonly cited as the originator of the phrase, and once said that the United States held a special place among [[nation]]s because it was a country of [[immigrant]]s and the first modern [[democracy]].  He specifically cited the [[American Founding]] as the basis of this exceptionalism.  Tocqueville wrote:

[[Image:colossus.jpg|right|130px|thumb|The Statue of Tyranny]]

[[Image:colossus.jpg|right|130px|thumb|The Statue of Tyranny]]

{{quotebox-float|The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin, their exclusively commercial habits, even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts, the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism, a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important, have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward; his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease, then, to view all democratic nations under the example of the American people.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 2, page 36-37</ref>}}

{{quotebox-float|The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly [[Puritan]]ical origin, their exclusively [[commercial]] habits, even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of [[science]], [[literature]], and the [[arts]], the proximity of [[Europe]], which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into [[barbarism]], a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important, have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his [[education]], and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward; his [[religion]] alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to [[heaven]]. Let us cease, then, to view all democratic nations under the example of the American people.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 2, page 36-37</ref>}}

{{quotebox-float|Many important observations suggest themselves upon the social condition of the Anglo-Americans, '''but there is one which takes precedence of all the rest'''. The social condition of the Americans is eminently democratic; '''this was its character at the foundation of the Colonies, and is still more strongly marked at the present day'''.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 1, page 42</ref>}}

{{quotebox-float|Many important observations suggest themselves upon the social condition of the Anglo-Americans, '''but there is one which takes precedence of all the rest'''. The social condition of the Americans is eminently democratic; '''this was its character at the foundation of the Colonies, and is still more strongly marked at the present day'''.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 1, page 42</ref>}}