Major Project Progress

Recently, I decided on a general field of investigation for my history project. I am interested in global affairs and am intrigued by the ever-changing economic, political and social relationships between countries. The United States of America is of particular significance as it has emerged as a modern "super-power", replacing the old-age, traditional European empires of Britain, France and Germany. Consequently, foreign relations with the US are of pinnacle importance to most nations of the world. However, France's approach to America has changed significantly throughout its rise to power. Whilst the US remained a burgeoning nation of immense promise and idealism, France sustained an immense fascination with its growth and progress. It is strange then that France's present-day attitude towards American does not reflect this same intrigue and respect. It appears as though the French-US relationship has undergone an unfortunate metamorphosis- emphasised by the writings of various historians.
My history project will reflect these ideals by investigating the changing French attitudes towards America and the emergence of French anti-Americanism. In order to achieve this, I will focus on the works two historians - Alexander de Tocqueville and Jean Baudrillard. Both of whom are imposing French historians and quintessential "products of their time" (19th century and 20th century, respectively).