The American Dream

For many immigrants, the Statue of Liberty was their first view of the United States, signifying freedom and personal liberty. The statue is an iconic symbol of the United States, and of the American Dream.The American Dream is a national ethos unique to the United States of America in which democratic ideals are perceived as a hope-filled view of the prosperity of its people. In the American Dream, first expressed by James Truslow Adams in 1931, citizens of every rank feel that they can achieve a "better, richer, and happier life."[1] The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence[2] which states that "all men are created equal"[3] and that they have "certain inalienable Rights"[3] including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."[3] The American Dream has been credited with helping to build a cohesive American experience but has also been blamed for overinflated expectations of its people.[4] The presence of the American Dream has not historically helped the majority of minority race and lower class American citizens to gain a greater degree of social equality and influence.[5] Instead, the American Dream has often been observed to sustain class differences in which well-positioned groups continue to be advantaged.