The Role of the United States in the World Community

Line drawing of a Black man speaking from a podium to crowd of Black men and children
Frederick Douglass speaks to a crowd in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 1871.

Public domain.

America has never existed in isolation.

While the United States has left an imprint on the world community, other nations and immigrants to the United States have profoundly influenced the course of American history.

Stories about the role of the U.S. in the world community explore diplomacy, trade, cultural exchange, security and defense, expansionism, and imperialism. History-makers include both people and institutions. Presidents, diplomats, and movement leaders define and shape foreign policy. So do private institutions like the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Read more about how the United States has worked to address its many interests at home and abroad.

Stories of America and the World

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    Last updated: April 27, 2022