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1- In 1931, the American historian and writer James Truslow Adams wrote a book called "The Epic of America." Like many others, this book told the history of our nation. But unlike most history books, "The Epic of America" did not focus on events. Instead, it focused on average people. The book told the nation's history by emphasizing the ways in which the average American had changed.
2- Adams stated that the American dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone." In this dream, a person's talent and dedication would determine their opportunities. This American dream was not about material possessions or money. Instead, it was a dream of a society. In this society, each man and woman could reach the highest place that their levels of talent and dedication would allow. That person would be recognized by others for what they are. Where they were born or who their family was did not matter.
3- The authors of the United States’ Declaration of Independence believed that certain ideas were true. They believed that all men were created equal. They believed that all men were given certain rights that could not be taken away. These rights, according to the founding fathers, include the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Is the American dream based on this idea?
The dream keeps on changing
4- Consider the people of the 1850s who first settled the American West. They left the big cities of the east to find their piece of land in the unknown wilderness. Were these people following these Rights? What about the immigrants who came to the United States? Were they seeking their bit of life, liberty and the search for happiness, their dream? The soldier who returned home after World War II wished to settle down and to have a home, a car and a family. What does this desire tell us about how this dream has changed over time? Is the American dream attainable by all Americans?
5- What does the freedom to pursue a better life involve to most Americans? To many, it often involves a nice house, a car or two and a more comfortable life than their parents had. A countless number of "Rags to Riches" stories have been fueled by this idea. Presidents have started out in log cabins. Highly successful entrepreneurs have come to America as penniless immigrants. Bill Gates, a man who dropped out of college, became the richest man in the world.
6- Is hard work and dedication always rewarded? The American novelist Horatio Alger, Jr. wrote many stories about this idea in the 1800s. The young heroes of his books "pulled themselves up by their bootstraps" and proved America to be the land of opportunity.
7- Some say that the American dream has become the search for material wealth. Today, people work more hours to get bigger cars, fancier homes and what they view as better lives for their families. As a result, they have less time to enjoy this wealth. Others say that the American dream is beyond the grasp of the working poor. What is the American dream for someone who must work multiple jobs to support their family? Yet others focus less on making more money. They place more emphasis on living a simple, fulfilling life. That is the American dream to them.
8- The American novelist Thomas Wolfe said that every man, no matter where he was born, had certain rights. These included "…the right to live, to work, to be himself and to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision can ... make him."
Is this your American dream?