American Dream Essay
Why has individual success (the so called “American Dream”) seem to have been so important for the American sense of self and what other features of American society would you say a continuing faith in it has hidden?
The American dream means many things to many different people but usually includes the notion of having the freedom to work hard in order achieve happiness and success. In the book, The Epic of America, Adams defines the American Dream as the “dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” It is an important cultural, historical and economic concept that has been a central point of American society for decades, building character in Americans and lending to their personal sense of self.
Its history can be dated back to 1776 to the Declaration of Independence where by its states that everyone one is equal and has the right to ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’. From this statement American ideals were formed and people looked towards the fulfilment of their hopes and desires. The American Dream was a cultural myth and a reality for immigrants coming to the United States as well as middle and lower class Americans who sought a better future and believed that the American economy provided opportunities for them to succeed in life regardless of the family or social class they were born into. The dream at this time focused on owning land and having a prosperous business; to many immigrants it was a land that was new and had a government made up of people rather than royalty or a single dictator meaning that the United States was a desirable place to move to and build a life. In colonial America, a new equality was brought about; interaction amongst different classes through employees speaking to employers meant that through dedication and hard work they could improve their status and move up the hierarchy. America’s westward expansion then led for
The American dream means many things to many different people but usually includes the notion of having the freedom to work hard in order achieve happiness and success. In the book, The Epic of America, Adams defines the American Dream as the “dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” It is an important cultural, historical and economic concept that has been a central point of American society for decades, building character in Americans and lending to their personal sense of self.
Its history can be dated back to 1776 to the Declaration of Independence where by its states that everyone one is equal and has the right to ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’. From this statement American ideals were formed and people looked towards the fulfilment of their hopes and desires. The American Dream was a cultural myth and a reality for immigrants coming to the United States as well as middle and lower class Americans who sought a better future and believed that the American economy provided opportunities for them to succeed in life regardless of the family or social class they were born into. The dream at this time focused on owning land and having a prosperous business; to many immigrants it was a land that was new and had a government made up of people rather than royalty or a single dictator meaning that the United States was a desirable place to move to and build a life. In colonial America, a new equality was brought about; interaction amongst different classes through employees speaking to employers meant that through dedication and hard work they could improve their status and move up the hierarchy. America’s westward expansion then led for