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The American Dream

DISCOVERY PROJECT 2010-2011

How has the American Dream changed throughout history?

The American Dream has been changing and developing drastically throughout history. Today the collective American Dream is to have a healthy family, comfortable fortune, and success. But how was it 90 years ago?

In the 1920's, people viewed the American Dream as having equal opportunity despite your social status, race, or religion.

Yet in the 1940's, the American Dream was that of the common dream plus the idea of keeping peace due to time of war.

In the 1960's, racial and interrational problems were rising and causing uncertainty between people. Again, the American Dream in this decade was viewed as the common dream that stays true throughout history, but in the 60's more equality and progression for education were part of the dream as well.

When the 1970's came around, people began to lost hope and faith in each other and the future for their children.During this time a "drug culture" was becoming a reality in America, deffinetly effecting the future and the dream.

After this time of not much progression, the 1980'swung around. During this time, a sense of future failure passed through America. Questions were being asked like, "Will my children live the life I did?" In a 1980 issue of Newsweek, a statement was posted about the dream and Americans future saying, "And no longer do Americans share the great expectations of generations past. For the first time, public-opinion polls show that the average U.S. citizen is not at all sure that his children's lot will be better than or even as good as his own." (Newsweek-1980)

In the 1990's, the American dream was changed by two main things; new ways of life and a new, replenished society. People's American dreams began to include more ideas of wealth rather than working hard. At the beginning of the 1990's, everyone was very optimistic about the future, which was deffinetly a good sign.

As Americans entered a new millenium of the 2000's, the American dream was extremely altered by the recession and the government. Homelessness, hunger, and lack of money left people with a very dull, unfaithful and unhopeful dream for the future. People were becoming too materialistic, too lazy, and quite unhopeful for the generation to come. Problems were being blamed on the government and no one was trying to fix them.

Finally, Americans reached the new decade of 2010 with new hope and faith in themselves and others. People began to realize and actualize the fact that you need work to acheive your dreams; not luck. Everyone began working harder to improve situations for the next generation. Overall, the American dream was restored.

What have others told us? What do others think?

Throughout a course of eight weeks, our group conducted several interviews on a variety of people. From these intervews, we began to notice some trends. Each interview was unique and had a different view on the American Dream. Lets see what people said and what we have learned.

Topic: Do you think Americans have a good influence on the younger generation? Do you think that this generation is forming the future? Any advice on following dreams?

Answers:

•Don’t be afraid to work hard. It’s not as hard as you’d imagine. Hone your skills in personal interactions with peoplerelationships are what create the possibility of success. (Michael Witte---Lucy Shulte)

•I am concerned about values and morals being instilled on this generation from adult family members as done in previous generations. But I am frequently amazed by how much further ahead young people are with the information available to them, and their abilities to learn more advanced information at younger ages than in previous generations. (Kelley Heil, 42---Lauren Heil)

•Based on what I’ve seen with my daughters and their friends, I think the future is in great hands. They are all so responsible. (Joe Heil, 44---Lauren

Heil)

•There’s no replacement for hard work in realizing your dreams. There’s luck, good fortune---but hard work is the best thing. (Daniel Shulte, 50s---Lucy Shulte)

Interpretation: Everyone has their different view towards the future, but one thing is for sure; that hard work will ensure a successful future.

Topic: What have you done to achieve your American Dream? How can our country achieve their dreams?

Answers: •Have gotten married to someone I love, have a family and friends, have a home with a yard, and I have a husband who has a job to provide for a comfortable lifestyle. (Kathy, 40s---Sean Thompson)

•Going to high school, getting good grades so I can go to college and get a good job (Grace, 15---Sean Thompson)

This is a tough question to answer but one that we should seek an answer to. I think that education is critical to helping fulfill dreams. I think that positive influences in people’s lives and being a positive influence in others is critical as well everyone deserves a good cheerleader. I think that making mistakes is a fantastic thing as long as lessons are learned from them. As I try to pursue my own dreams, I continually try to educate myself. I try to talk to and listen to as many people as I can to learn from their successes and failures in their life experience. I certainly have made and will continue to make mistakes, and I do my best to learn from them. And I think most importantly, I try to pay attention to what makes me happy and it isn’t always what I thought that would provide me happiness when I was growing up. (Jeff Heil, 36---Lauren Heil)

Interpretation: Fulfilling things that you have worked hard for or have a passion towards. Yet, to reach these dreams good grades, persistence and sucess need to com into play.

Topic: Do you think everyone who comes to America has a fair chance at the American Dream?

Answers:

•No way, because we are a racist country. (Grace, 15---Sean Thompson)

•Yes. Everyone is free to get a job and work hard. (Al, 52---Sean Thompson)

•Everyone that comes to American does if they work at it. It is available to all. (Barbra, 74---Sean Thompson)

Interpretation: Everyone had their different view, but with hard work and persistence, people believe that anyone coming to America can obtain the dream.

Topic: What is your ideal American Dream?

Answers: •My ideal American dream is to have a future in which my grand children can pursue their dreams. (Alex Wade---Bobby Holton)

•I would say having a good job to support my family. Also, I would want a healthy, prospering family to support and live with. (James Helf---Bobby Holton)

•I would say, owning and running my own small business someday. I don’t want a lot of money, but I would like to not worry about it. Also, ensuring my children have access to higher education is part of my American Dream. (Chelsea Holton---Bobby Holton)

Interpretation: Most peoples ideal American Dream include having success not just for themselves but for others also, and having a healthy, prosperous family.

Topic: Why do you think holding onto dreams is important?

Answer: •Because it gives you goals; an idea to what you have to do today that will insure that your future dream will be achieved. It also gives you hope. (Alex Wade---Bobby Holton)

•A dream gives you a goal in life, and it makes you strive for the goal. People who don’t have dreams or goals become someone who is affected by the influence of drugs or alcohol. (James Helf---Bobby Holton)

•I think it’s important because it gives us a plan for life; something to achieve. It helps motivate you to actually work towards something in your life. (Chelsea Holton---Bobby Holton)

Interpretation: Most people agree that dreams give you goals; something to strive and work towards. Dreams are there to motivate you.

Presentation by Group 1: Lauren, Lucy, Sean, Riley, and Bobby

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