The American Dream In The 1800s
The American Dream
The American Dream is a term that implies a successful and satisfying life. Many people associate it with immigration, as the dream of religious freedom, economic prosperity, and opportunity has historically driven immigrants to the United States. The term is used by a lot of modern Americans to signify success in life as a result of hard work. A man named James Truslow Adams first used the term in his book The Epic of America, written in 1931. He states "The American Dream is that 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." In the United States Declaration of Independence, our founding fathers say: " held certain truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This could …show more content…
possibly be the foundation for the American Dream.
From the American Revolutionary War and into the later 1800s, many of America's physical resources were unclaimed and held out the promise land ownership and lucky investment in land or industry in the 1900s.
The Industrial Revolution was developing and there were great natural resources in the enormous and unsettled continent. This created the possibility of achieving wealth and transitioning "from rags to riches". Because of the living conditions in Europe and the hope of a better standard of living in America, hundreds of thousands of people migrated to the new world.
The Industrial Revolution was one of the great forces that developed the American Dream. It resulted in the creation of thousands of jobs. The development of the Transcontinental Railroad and the increase in oil production greatly increased the American standard of living. "Rags to riches" stories led to the belief that if you had talent, intelligence, and a willingness to work extremely hard, you were more likely to live a successful
life.
Today the American Dream is a matter of discussion. Some think that it is still a practical element, and some think that it is only an illusion. The American Dream focuses on the success of the individual and not the well-being of the whole population. This has its advantages. For example, lower taxes and little interference of the state. On the other hand, these advantages can be disadvantages for society. There is no social bond for the poor and no serious interest in important issues like environmental protection, for example. Some people even think that that the American Dream is not a good ideal to try to live up to. Its emphasis on material possessions as a way of finding happiness is seen by critics as being somewhat superficial or meaningless. The American Dream has been criticized as promoting an ethic of selfishness and social inequality.
The American Dream is one of the most commonly misunderstood ideals in American culture. It can mean about anything from wealth, to home ownership, to moral license, to success in court, and so on, all without appreciation for the original importance of the dream. Ultimately, the American Dream is personal freedom. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages, but a dream of social order in which every person is able to achieve to the best of their ability, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of their fortunate or unfortunate circumstances of birth or position. Because the American Dream is largely misunderstood and taken for granted, it is in jeopardy of disappearing altogether.
The American Dream is a term that implies a successful and satisfying life. Many people associate it with immigration, as the dream of religious freedom, economic prosperity, and opportunity has historically driven immigrants to the United States. The term is used by a lot of modern Americans to signify success in life as a result of hard work. A man named James Truslow Adams first used the term in his book The Epic of America, written in 1931. He states "The American Dream is that 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." In the United States Declaration of Independence, our founding fathers say: " held certain truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This could …show more content…
possibly be the foundation for the American Dream.
From the American Revolutionary War and into the later 1800s, many of America's physical resources were unclaimed and held out the promise land ownership and lucky investment in land or industry in the 1900s.
The Industrial Revolution was developing and there were great natural resources in the enormous and unsettled continent. This created the possibility of achieving wealth and transitioning "from rags to riches". Because of the living conditions in Europe and the hope of a better standard of living in America, hundreds of thousands of people migrated to the new world.
The Industrial Revolution was one of the great forces that developed the American Dream. It resulted in the creation of thousands of jobs. The development of the Transcontinental Railroad and the increase in oil production greatly increased the American standard of living. "Rags to riches" stories led to the belief that if you had talent, intelligence, and a willingness to work extremely hard, you were more likely to live a successful
life.
Today the American Dream is a matter of discussion. Some think that it is still a practical element, and some think that it is only an illusion. The American Dream focuses on the success of the individual and not the well-being of the whole population. This has its advantages. For example, lower taxes and little interference of the state. On the other hand, these advantages can be disadvantages for society. There is no social bond for the poor and no serious interest in important issues like environmental protection, for example. Some people even think that that the American Dream is not a good ideal to try to live up to. Its emphasis on material possessions as a way of finding happiness is seen by critics as being somewhat superficial or meaningless. The American Dream has been criticized as promoting an ethic of selfishness and social inequality.
The American Dream is one of the most commonly misunderstood ideals in American culture. It can mean about anything from wealth, to home ownership, to moral license, to success in court, and so on, all without appreciation for the original importance of the dream. Ultimately, the American Dream is personal freedom. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages, but a dream of social order in which every person is able to achieve to the best of their ability, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of their fortunate or unfortunate circumstances of birth or position. Because the American Dream is largely misunderstood and taken for granted, it is in jeopardy of disappearing altogether.