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History and Origin of the American Dream

by: Ben Amarell & Hannes Strohdiek

Agenda

General Information

1.

2.

History

19th century

Martin Luther King (20th century)

Agenda

3.

Political Leaders

4.

Other parts of the world

General Information

  • Statue of Liberty signified new opportunities in life for immigrants
  • Rooted in the Declaration of Independence

"all men are created equal" with the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"

  • Lands further off are still better than those upon which they are already settled
  • Varies for every American
  • „rags to riches“

Definition

  • National ethos of the United States,
  • Set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality)
  • Freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success
  • James Truslow Adams defines the American Dream in 1931

General Information

19th Century

History

  • Emigrants come into the "promised land"
  • Everyone can travel and settle wherever he pleases
  • No passport is demanded
  • No police hinders the settlers' movements 
  • Fidelity and merit are the only sources of honor
  • Califonia Dream: Discovery of gold in 1849 brought in many immigrants looking for their fortune overnight

19th century

  • Old American Dream: dream of accumulating the modest fortunes
  • New dream: dream of instant wealth, reached by audacity and good luck
  • In 1893, historian Frederick Jackson Turner advanced the Frontier Thesis

. . .

Martin Luther King Jr.

* January 15.1929 † April 4.1968

History

  • Was an American Baptist, minister and activist
  • Most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement
  • Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom, Walk to Freedom, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Poor People's Campaign
  • Poor People's Campaign:

a national occupation of Washington D.C.

gain economic justice for poor people in the United States

  • March on Washington:

speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial ("I have a Dream")

20th century

Martin Luther King: I have a Dream

Video

Political Leaders

Political leaders

  • Henry Kissinger, Hillary Clinton, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln
  • As well many local leaders
  • Expectation that the American Dream will resolve many difficulties and conflicts

Some political conflicts have been ameliorated by the shared values of all parties

Barack Obama

  • In 2006 Barack Obama wrote a memoir, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
  • Interpretation of the American Dream for a young black man
  • Helped establish his reputations

Other parts of the world

  • After WWII the Germans were fascinated by the American Dream and sought strength in it
  • After the fall of the Communism the same effect took place in Russia
  • In 2008 the fact that 77% of Russia's population live in apartment buildings was revealed
  • In 2010 announced a plan for home ownership: "Call it the Russian dream"

Other parts of the world

What do you think of this quote? Would you say that the American Dream is just a dream or that it could become reality for everybody?

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