John Winthrop spoke of a "City Upon a Hill."

http://www.americanyawp.com/reader/colliding-cultures/john-winthrop-dreams-of-a-city-on-a-hill-1630/ (Links to an external site.)

So did Ronald Reagan,

In what ways has the United States fulfilled Winthrop's vision of a "shining city upon a hill?" In what ways has the United States failed in this attempt?