History and Origin of the American Dream
by: Ben Amarell & Hannes Strohdiek
Agenda
History
19th century
Martin Luther King (20th century)
Agenda
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
- 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
- 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
speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial ("I have a Dream")
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?