Murder, History of

For more than two centuries, observers ranging from visitors to scholars have debated the notion of “American exceptionalism,” the idea that the United States, with its traditions of democracy, liberty, social mobility, and tolerance, stands apart from other countries. While commentators disagree about the virtues of American society, the nation's levels of murder are, and long have been, truly exceptional, at least by comparison with other democratic, industrialized nations. At the start of the 21st century, the U.S. murder rate was approximately four ...