Surname 1

Student’s Name

Professor’s Name

Course

Date

What is the Definition of the American Dream?

The phrase “The American Dream” has become synonymous with American popular

culture and society today. However, there are different schools of thought regarding exactly

what it means to an ordinary citizen. According to Gillon the phrase was coined by historian

James Adams while writing his book in 1931 to describe the spirit of the American people

who despite being faced by the adversities of the Great Depression remained optimistic.

Conversely, Cullen posits that even before James Adams penned down his book, the concept

of the American Dream had already been enshrined in the American culture and society (2-

6). Specifically, Cullen argues that it was Thomas Jefferson who introduced the concept of

the American Dream through the Declaration of Independence when he stated that “all men

are created equal” and with “unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

(140) These sentiments captured the true essence of the American Dream alluding to America

as being a country where all men are equal and have the right to pursue their dreams as it was

intended by their creator (Cullen 40). As the United States progressed into a more civilized

and democratically mature nation, these rights as guaranteed by the constitution began to

define the American Dream (Cullen 142). In particular, civil rights, freedom from slavery or

socioeconomic oppression, religious freedom, and women suffrage became important pillars

in defining the American Dream. However, Bryant notes that it was during this time that The

American Dream morphed into a more recognized definition. Amadeo puts it that the

American Dream shifted focus to acquiring material things that were perceived as the

ultimate measure of happiness as was evident in American society during the Roaring 20’s.
 Surname 2

Two decades later there was another shift in focus from material things to more fulfilling

aspects of life including having a well-paying job, a good house in the suburbs, education,

good health and a happy family (Amadeo). Even in recent contemporary views, this idea still

remains as the most widely recognized definition of the American Dream. According to

Cannon & Bevan, 27% of the population that think the American Dream is still alive

associate it with having a subjectively happy life characterized by a steady income, good

family relations, and the freedom of choice in all realms.

However, even with the divergent views of what it means to live the American

Dream, one thing has constantly been in the background and played the single biggest role in

enabling the American Dream. According to Graham and Amadeo, it is the American

economy that has fueled all the things associated with the American Dream. In particular, the

robust economy has made the United States a land of opportunities where every citizen can

earn a decent living and achieve a happy life through their sweat and hard work (Cannon &

Bevan). Subsequently, the declining American economy compared to earlier decades has

seen more people become pessimistic about the American Dream with a significant

percentage declaring it dead or on its death bed. Specifically, Cook notes that only 50% of

people born within the last three decades have an opportunity to earn more than their parents

compared to 90% of children born during the first half of the 20th century. The opportunities

in the United States have reduced so much that by 2016, only 38% of the population thought

that their children would become more successful than them (Graham). Despite this growing

pessimism in the American Dream, other facets of American life continue to give hope. In

particular, the freedoms and rights of people from diverse cultural, racial, and religious

backgrounds guaranteed by the law and accepted by the American society continue to breathe

life into the American Dream. These freedoms and rights have progressively expanded to
 Surname 3

include rights of enslaved immigrants, women, workers, and until recently the LGBTQ

community.

Conclusively, the American social, economic and political landscape has been

continually on a progressively path since independence. During this evolution, the definition

of the American Dream has taken different meanings to reflect the issues and environment of

the time. However, what is clear is that even with these changes in meaning, the underlying

ideologies that ultimately define the American Dream have largely remained intact. People

today, just like in the first half of the 20th century when it was first coined by historian James

Adam still associate the American Dream with the enormous opportunities that America

affords each citizen in which anybody can achieve success with hard work. While these

definitions of success vary among individuals, it is the surety afforded by the American

constitution and societal set up that everyone within the American borders can be successful

through hard work that epitomizes and defines the American Dream. Subsequently whether a

person’s definition of success involves monetary wealth, good family relations, subjective

happiness, or freedom of choice among others, the rights enshrined in the constitution and by

extension the American Dream guarantees the possibility of achieving it.

 Surname 4

Works Cited

Amadeo, Kimberly. "What Is The American Dream Today?". The Balance, 2020,

https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-the-american-dream-today-3306027. Accessed 2

May 2020.

Bryant, Sean. "What Is The American Dream In 2016?". Investopedia, 2016,

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/012616/what-american-dream-

2016.asp. Accessed 2 May 2020.

Cannon, Carl M., and Tom Bevan. "The American Dream: Not Dead -- Yet |

Realclearpolitics". Realclearpolitics.Com, 2020,

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/03/06/the_american_dream_not_dead

_--_yet_139659.html. Accessed 2 May 2020.

Cook, Gareth. "The Economist Who Would Fix The American Dream". The Atlantic, 2019,

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/08/raj-chettys-american-

dream/592804/. Accessed 2 May 2020.

Cullen, Jim. The American D Dream: A Short History Of An Idea That Shaped A Nation. 9th

ed., Oxford University Press, 2006.

Gillon, Steve. "Searching For The American Dream". Huffpost.Com, 2014,

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/searching-for-the-american-dream_b_6314708?

guccounter=1. Accessed 2 May 2020.

Graham, Carol. "Is The American Dream Really Dead?". The Guardian, 2017,

https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/jun/20/is-the-american-dream-really-

dead. Accessed 2 May 2020.