This writing presents the research on American tradition in the United States. It makes a synthesis of the relationship on conservative and liberal tradition toward the concept of exceptionalism in the Muslim world while Obama and Bush administration represent the culmination of the American empire. ‘City upon a Hill’ and Westward Movement are two of some traditions of American exceptionalism. ‘We shall be as a city upon a hill,’ predicted Puritan minister John Winthrop in 1630, and more than 375 years later this imagery invoked by American presidents both Ronald Reagan and George W.Bush. Furthermore, the construct of American exceptionalism was invoked to justify the settlement and expansion of English colonies in North America, the creation of the United States as an independent country, its territorial expansion across the continent, and the extension of American military and political power around the globe. In line with the changing of era, America has given great hegemony toward other countries, mainly in the Muslim world in the name of traditional capitalism and liberal democracy. After the Cold War, imperialism is as insult to hegemonic huge power. America’s entire war on terror is an exercise in imperialism including in the Muslim world. This research is methodologically descriptive qualitative by gathering the data qualitatively and presenting them descriptively. It is under the discipline of American Studies which highlights on the synthesis of knowledge. It focuses on cultural, social, and political discipline supported by Event Structure Analysis (ESA) for analyzing the data. In fact, empire is always there in American history. Furthermore American faiths is a strong tradition. But, its inconsistency is the real story and, will continue to evolve.

Keywords: exceptionalism, empire, tradition, liberal, conservative