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The American Dream is a concept that can be traced to the founding fathers of America, which entails ideals such as democracy, equality, freedom, liberty, human rights and opportunity for all to live a better and prosperous life. These ideals are achieved through hard work in an environment that has no barriers and offers equal opportunities for all. The coming of the American Dream came with the declaration of independence from England. People were filled with hope as they believed in the right to freedom, life and pursuing happiness. The idea was the creation of a nation in which people would be free from restrictions to pursue the life they want for themselves. This definition of the American Dream has changed over the course of time as people started deviating from the ideals of liberty, rights, and hard work. Hard work is now just caused by wanting to make the most money and wanting to have power and control.…
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The American dream is what someone think living in America is or would be like. The American dream really depends one what the person thinks America is in their “dream”. America has always been known as the place of freedom and opportunities. As an American, you’re set up to be successful. In other countries, you can be limited depending on where you are and that can make it difficult.…
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The American Dream is something that prevails within us despite the inevitable rises and falls of the economy, it is a triumphant hope for progress and prosperity. Brandon King asserts in his essay “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” that the American Dream is “more alive and important than ever” (573) but that its survival is dependent on the imperative support of large businesses and financial institutions to attain economic stability (575-579). I certainly agree with King that the Dream is very much alive, but our ideas about its continuity are in opposition. The resilience of the American Dream is not determined by the headway of big business. The Dream is, above all, reliant on the equality and unity of us, the American people.…
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Bruccoli, Matthew J. "A Brief Life of Fitzgerald." University of South Carolina. 4 Dec. 2003.…
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A life of freedom, equality, and opportunity, more commonly known as the American Dream, motivates people every day to achieve personal happiness and material comfort. John Winthrop, Judith Sargent Murray, and Ben Franklin encouraged this lifestyle by writing to the people of the United States explaining in their own way how this utopian lifestyle can be achieved. Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity” was written on board the Arbella on the way to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He inspired the people by saying that if they united in love, they would be blessed by God and have the power to impact the world. Murray’s “On the Equality of Sexes” sparked controversy as it shone a light on how women were treated in society and education. She is one of the first at the time to speak about the intelligence of women and the potential they could have if treated as equals to men. Franklin’s “The Way of Wealth” emphasizes the importance of thrift and warns against living a sloth-like life. The American Dream can be achieved through love, equality, and hard work.…
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What is the American dream? There is no exact answer as to what the American dream really is. The best way to really put is the main goals and ambitions American citizens have for their lives. The issue with it though is that, sometimes individuals can’t reach their dreams. As stated in the Atlantic “We have more social problems than other countries, and that’s a worse problem than inequality.” (O’Brien 1). Religious discrimination is still a major problem that plagues this country today.…
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We hear the term American Dream referenced many times in our lives, but do we really know what the American Dream is? Is it having more money and more power than everyone else? Is it moving to Hollywood and becoming a famous movie star? What is the American Dream? According to James Truslow Adams, the author of the book The Epic of America, 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. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve the fullest stature of which they are capable of, and be recognized by others…
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The American Dream, something once thought to be the American lifestyle that once achieved, one’s life may be considered perfect. It started out simple, owning two cars, owning a large house in a suburban neighborhood, married with two children, and owning your own business. This may the American Dream after World War II has ended; however, because of the economic crisis, the increase of major corporations, and the cost of living; over the years, reaching this goal has been a very difficult to achieve.…
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Although liberty and justice for all is guaranteed by our constitution, I don't believe it exists equally for all segments of our population. What does it mean to live in a country with "Liberty and Justice for all"? Does it mean that everyone who is an American has the right to be what they want? Well by reading the article "American Dreams" by Kevin Jennings, I have came to realize the way people view things in today's society. I don't believe one's dream should be bursted into pieces because of who they are and how they act. It is a very clear picture in my mind that people like gays, blacks, Jews, and women aren't given the same opportunities as the normal white Anglo Saxon protestant…
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“People are so busy dreaming the American Dream, fantasizing about what they could be or have a right to be, that they're all asleep at the switch. Consequently we are living in the Age of Human Error.” (King, Florence.) Is this statement not showing the reality of the world during the time of the Great Depression? The American Dream was created with the promise of land, success, and prosperity. It gave the people of America the hope to believe that they can achieve anything they dream to be. As the forefathers of the Declaration of Independence had said, “It constitutes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This has all changed after the Depression. Of course the statement above is true! How could you obtain something so irrationally absurd at a time where there is nothing! John Steinback, author of the book Of Mice and Men, wrote about this universal thought. The works To a Mouse and Of Mice and Men claim that the American Dream is always unsuccessful and will only bring disappointment and devastation through the experiences of characters and/or comparable objects or organisms.…
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The meaning of the American dream has changed over time. In its inception it was a set of ideals, such as freedom, opportunity, and equality traditionally held to be available to every American. These ideas were brought forth to show people to that all men and women are created equal. This equality was said to be achieved through hard work and dedication. The American dream is something that has been preached in the United States for decades. People from all over the World come to the United States to prosper and create what they believe will be a better life for themselves and their family. The biggest question today is, does the American Dream even exist anymore? Many different people have argued that it has been over for some time now. Some believe that it still exists, but is much different than it was when it first was presented. One can see the view points of both sides with the evidence that is presented. The American dream may still exist, despite the failing economy and lack of jobs, the downfall of the public school system, the budget deficits, and the warfare overseas. The dream of a better life in America is the reason why this country has so many immigrants, illegal or legal. There is hope in this country that does not exist in other countries because of the things that can be accomplished in this country that is somewhat impossible in other areas of the world. America is still a place where people can come and have the opportunity, whether they take it or not, to become anything and anybody they want. The dream is still there, it may have been altered since the time of its inception, but people still have the hope of a better life here more so than anywhere else. The American dream may need to be altered, but it’s not evidence to support that it is over entirely. It comes down to who do we as a people put our faith into, the government or ourselves.…
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What was it, what is it, and what has it become, the American economy. Once a power house, still a power house, but what does the future hold. China is projected to over take the American economy by 2016. The world economy is changing and we need to change with it. The competition is fierce and if we want to stay on top we need to make some changes.…
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What is the American Dream? Is a question that will be answered differently every time it's asked to a different individual. Everyone has a different opinion regarding what is the American Dream and what it takes to make the dream a reality there's a simply explanation to this: People come from different places, and everyone has a different story to tell. No two lives are just alike, there are going to be people who have experienced different trials and tribulations, people who have seen what you haven't, people who's struggle has been a little rougher than yours, people who's dreams have been shattered, people who haven't lost hope, people who believe all hope is gone, and people who feel that what was lost is finally found. The American Dream is a dream viewed in a different perspective of everyone.…
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The “American Dream” is something we hear about while in our elementary history classes. We have all heard of it but, do we know what it is? Is the “American Dream” some unattainable thought of someone’s misplaced perception of reality? Or is the legendary “American Dream” just a matter of a few steps away from all of us? This dream we know of is not an illusion but a reality, all we must do is work for it.…
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For many years people have always been living in America but do not really know what the American Dream really is. I feel that the American Dream can vary on what it means because most people think very differently. To me though the American Dream means what I have accomplished in life, how I make my life decisions, and the way I am able to live life to the fullest. I have read and seen many different scenes in life that have made me to make the definition on what the American dream means to me. Even though people may tell me to do other things in life I will always try to keep a straight mind set towards what God has told me to do and what I really need to do with my life. Many Fellow Americans and I strive for the American dream in life, for this reason I will keep on trying to accomplish what the American dream means to me.…
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