American Dream

 What is the 'American Dream'

The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of (незалежно від) where they
were born or what class they were born into, can attain (забезпечити, досягнути,
реалізувати, добитися) their own version of success (успіх) in a society where upward
mobility (просування по службі, кар’єрний ріст, підвищення соціального статусу) is
possible for everyone. The American Dream is achieved through sacrifice ( жертва,
асмопожертва), risk-taking (ризик, прийняття ризикованих рішень) and hard work, not
by chance (випадковість).
BREAKING DOWN ( розруха, знищення) 'American Dream'
The term was coined by (придуманий, введений) writer and historian James Truslow Adams
in his best-selling 1931 book "Epic of America."  He described it as ""that dream of a land in
which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each
according to ability ( можливість, здатність, потенціал) or achievement( досягнення,
реалізація)." He went on to explain ( продовжив пояснювати), "It is a difficult dream for the
European upper classes to interpret ( обгрунтовувати, трактувати) adequately (належним
чином), and too many of us ourselves have grown weary (втомлений) and mistrustful
(недовірливий) of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely ( просто, лише,
тільки, винятково, сугубо, просто-напросто, всього-навсього), but a dream of social order
( суспільний порядок) in which each man and caeach woman shall be able to attain to the
fullest stature ( досягнути максимального статусу, найвищого статусу) of which they
are innately capable ( володіють вродженою здатністю), and be recognized by others for
what they are, regardless (незважаючи на) of the fortuitous (фортюетес випадковий,
щаслива випадковість) circumstances( обставини) of birth or position."
The idea of the American Dream has much deeper roots. Its tenets (принципи) can be found
in the Declaration of Independence, which states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident (
само собою зрозуміло, очевидно) ( ми вважаємо цю істину очевидною), that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed (наділені) by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights ( невід’ємними правами), that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit (персют-
погоня, переслідування, прагнення) of Happiness.” In a society based on these principles,
an individual can live life to its fullest (жити наповну) as he or she defines (визначає) it.
America also grew mostly as a nation of immigrants who created a nation where becoming an
American – and passing that citizenship (громадянство) to your children – didn't require
being the child of an American. 
Achieving the American Dream requires political and economic freedom, as well as rules of
law and private property rights ( права на власність). Without them, individuals cannot
make the choices that will permit ( дозволить) them to attain success ( досягнути успіху),
nor can they have confidence that their achievements will not be taken away from them
through arbitrary force( свавільною силою). The American Dream promises freedom and
equality. It offers the freedom to make both the large and small decisions that affect one’s life;
the freedom to aspire to ( прагнути) bigger and better things and the possibility of achieving
them; the freedom to accumulate wealth ( накопичити майно); the opportunity to lead a
dignified life ( вести гідне життя); and the freedom to live in accordance with one’s values
( жити дотримуючись чиїхось цінностей), even if those values are not widely held or
accepted.
The American Dream also offers the promise that the circumstances of someone's birth –
including whether they were born as American citizens or immigrants – do not completely
determine their future. The books of post Civil War writer Horatio Alger, in which ragged
(оборванці, в лахмітті) teenage boys rise to success through pluck (мужність),
determination and good fortune came to personify ( уособлювати, втілити) realizing the
Dream.
Today, home ownership is frequently cited ( згадується) as an example of attaining the
American Dream. It is a symbol of financial success and independence, and it means having
the ability to control one’s own dwelling place (місце проживання) instead of being subject to
the whims ( каприз) of a landlord (домовласника). Owning one’s own business and being
one’s own boss also represent American dream fulfillment ( виконання). In addition, access
to education and healthcare (охорона здоров’я) have been cited (згадувалися) as elements
of the Dream.
In her book "Spreading the American Dream: American Economic and Cultural Expansion (
розширення) 1890-1945," sociologist Emily Rosenberg identified five components of the
American Dream that have shown up in countries around the world. These five points include
the belief that other nations should replicate (відтворити, повторити) America's
development; faith (довіра) in a  free market economy (вільна ринкова економіка); support
for free trade agreements (торгові угоди) and foreign direct investment ( прямі закордонні
інвестиції); promotion of free flow of information ( сприяння вільному потоку інформації)
and culture; and acceptance ( признання, згода, прийняття) of government protection of
private enterprise ( підприємство).
The American Dream was aided ( на неї сприяли) by a number of factors that gave the
United States a competitive advantage over ( конкурентну перевагу над) other countries.
For starters( по-перше), it is relatively (релетівлі- відносно, порівняно) isolated
geographically, compared to many other countries, and enjoys a temperate climate
(помірний клімат). It has a culturally diverse population (населення з культурним
різноманіттям) that businesses use to foster (стимулювати, сприяти) innovation in a
global landscape (світова арена). Its abundant (багатий, обширний, багаточисельний)
natural resources – including oil, arable land (орні землі) and long coastlines( узбережжя,
берегова лінія) – generate food and income ( прибуток) for the country and its residents.
Terming it a "dream" also carries with it a sense that these ideals aren't necessarily what has
played out in the lives of many actual Americans and those who hope to become Americans.
The criticism that reality falls short( реальність далека від) of the American Dream is at least
as old as the idea itself. The spread of settlers (жителі, колоністи) into Native American
lands, slavery, the limitation of the vote (обмеження права голосу) (originally) to white male
landowners, and a long list of other injustices ( несправедливість) and challenges have
undermined ( підірвала) the realization of the Dream for many who live in the United States.
As income equality ( рівність у прибутках) has grown in the U.S, starting in the 1970s, the
American Dream has begun to seem less attainable (досяжна) for those who aren't already
affluent (багатий, забезпечений, в достатку) or born to affluence (народжені в
достатку). According to U.S. Census (перепис населення) family income data ( дані про
прибутки), real family income began to grow much more among the top income group than
among other segments of American society. For example, the Federal Reserve's Survey
(Федеральна Резервна Система) of Consumer Finances show that in 2016, the top 10% of
the income distribution (розподіл) got roughly( приблизно, близько, практично) a quarter of
all income and held more than three-quarters of all wealth ( достаток).
These realities, however, do not diminish ( зменшувати, скорочувати) the luster ( блиск)
of the American Dream as an ideal and a beacon (маяк, сигнал) to all nations. 
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/american-dream.asp
The American Dream is a national ethos (іфас-дух, ідеал) of the United
States, the set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and
equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity
(процвітання, благополуччя) and success, as well as an
upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard
work in a society with few barriers.

The American Dream is rooted in (засновується на) the Declaration of

Independence, which proclaims ( проголошує) that "all men are created
equal" with the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." 
Also, the U.S. Constitution promotes (підтримує, сприяє) similar freedom,
in the Preamble: to "secure (забезпечити, гарантувати) the Blessings of
Liberty (блага свободи) to ourselves and our Posperity (процвітання)".