1. What were FDR’s Four Freedoms? And, according to Gardella, what new features did they introduce to conceptions of American Civil Religion?

2. What are negative and positive freedoms? How do you see these concepts shaping political discourse in 1941 as well as today? Put another way, what is the legacy of the four freedoms? Are these freedoms still the ones articulated in public debate today?

3. How did Rockwell “americanize” the four freedoms in his depictions?

4. What did Henry Luce mean by “The American Century?”

5. What about Luce’s essay, “The American Century,” do you think people found persuasive at the time?

6. How does Luce’s conception of American Exceptionalism compare with other varieties we have studied? In particular, how does Luce’s idea of America’s role in the world compare with earlier, imperial projects?

Here is the magazine Luce’s essay appeared in.