Understanding the American Dream

Front

What is the American Dream?

Back

The ideal that the United States is a land of opportunity that allows the possibility of upward mobility, freedom, and equality for people of all classes who work hard and have the will to succeed.

Front

What historical context influenced the American Dream?

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The roots of the American Dream lie in the goals and aspirations of the first European settlers and colonizers who came to escape tyranny, religious and political persecution, or poverty.

Front

What document captured the reasons for coming to America in 1776?

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The Declaration of Independence.

Front

What are the self-evident truths mentioned in the Declaration of Independence?

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That all men are created equal, endowed with certain unalienable Rights, including Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Front

Who coined the phrase 'American Dream'?

Back

James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book 'The Epic of America'.

Front

How does James Truslow Adams define the American Dream?

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As a dream of a social order where each person can attain their fullest stature and be recognized for who they are, regardless of birth or position.

Front

What is the essence of the American Dream according to Adams?

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Aspiring to be one’s best self and rising above the station one was born into, rather than simply acquiring wealth and material possessions.