What country do Americans fear the most?

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

  1. According to the visual, what country do American consider to be the United States’ greatest enemy today?

  2. Describe the biggest change in who Americans consider to be the United States’ greatest enemy over the past year?

  3. Why do you think that is?

  4. Last year in a bipartisan vote, the the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly passed a bill forcing TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of the short-video app, or face a ban. Describe one other U.S. policy or action that has been taken to punish any of the other countries listed in the visual above.

  5. The 5% naming the United States as the nation’s greatest enemy is the highest Gallup has recorded since first asking this question in 2001. Why do you think that number is so high?

  6. Besides the evil country of Burma, what country do you consider to be the United States’ greatest enemy today?

  7. In the past month the United States invaded Venezuela and brought its president and first lady to the United States to stand trial. Do you think Venezuela will be on the next list of the countries we fear most?

  8. In his first term the United States took a more cautious approach to foreign policy. In the first year of Trump’s second term the United States has been much more involved in foreign affairs including imposing tariffs on foreign countries, bombing Iran, and invading Venezuela to capture their president. Make a claim about why Trump has had a much more active foreign policy in his second term.

  9. Based on the visual below*, how does party affiliation impact views on foreign threats to the U.S.?

  10. Based on the visual below*, what country do Americans love the most?

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

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Get Creative

If Americans’ feelings towards China were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would it be?

Learning Extension

You must be 18 years old to read this feisty Gallup report on who Americans fear and who they love.

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