“How Has the American Dream Changed Over Time” from Gale Student Resources in Context and then write a multi-paragraph definition essay that presents your own ideas about the American Dream.
For your essay, you must decide if the American Dream is still alive and what it looks like in the 21st century. Include your own personal observations as well as examples from the text. You can choose another article if you do not want to use the one posted in the unit. Give your own definition of the new American Dream and provide clear examples that illustrate your points.
Sample Solution
In the most basic sense, the American Dream is the idea that anyone in America can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. The concept of the dream has evolved over time to reflect changing social, economic and political realities. From its origin as a set of core values shared by pioneers who left civilization behind to build homes on unknown lands, it has taken new shapes throughout history based on shifting individual interpretations of what it means to "make it" in this country.
At its inception, the American Dream was largely associated with physically escaping oppressive conditions in Europe or elsewhere to establish a life free from persecution where one’s effort would be rewarded with material comfort for oneself and future generations. This idea was reflected in stories about young settlers braving hostile climates or conquering savage creatures during their westward journeys; these adventurers were met with promises of land ownership upon their arrival – which often came true when they developed fertile markets or discovered mineral resources within those lands.