Exceptionalism- the state of being special, exceptional or unique; the belief that a particular nation does not conform to an established norm
The question is raised “Do Texans exhibit Texas Exceptionalism” and I believe that the answer is a resounding yes based on the definition listed by Wikipedia. Why do Texans believe that their state is an exceptional place though?
Texas is very unique from other states that form the United States of America. To begin with, Texas has a very unique historical background that differs greatly from most of the rest of the United States. Texas was part of, originally, several other foreign countries prior to its admission into the Union. Also, at the time of its acceptance into the United States, Texas was its own independent country, a distinction that only Texas can lay claim to. With the multiple changing of hands, Texas has a very unique and differentiating cultural and demographic make up then the rest of the country. It belongs in a league of only a few states that have a major “minority” make-up of its citizens. Its size dwarfs not only the other states that make up the United States but is also larger then many other countries in the world with a GNP that also rivals theirs as well. Within the United States, three of the top ten cities by population are located within the boundaries of the state of Texas. The state is vastly rich in resources and is self sufficient unlike many other states where if they were cut off from the rest of the United States would suffer greatly.
With all of these facts, Texans display a sense of pride within themselves that is not exhibited in other parts of the country. This is a positive factor as it promotes involvement within their state and their communities. With citizens that take pride in their communities, are positive & more involved produce citizens that are more well informed of the decisions that they make politically as well as promotes civic & government involvement. [Link]
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