American Dream Essay

The American dream constantly changes, although the basis of it is still “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The American people search for freedom, equality, and fulfillment in this country.
In the mid-1800s, John Albert, one of my ancestors, came to America from Germany in search of a better life for himself and his family. He enlisted as a musician for the North in the Civil War and died as a prisoner a few months later. Throughout the 1900s, immigrants continued to come to America, which was seen as a land of opportunity. In the movie Golden Door, which reflects that era, the Italians imagined America as the land of plenty where everyone took baths in milk and ate 10-foot vegetables. The American reality was quite different as many people went hungry and died from diseases they got in the cramped tenement houses. In general, however, the new life started by immigrants was better than facing starvation in their old countries. Most were even shocked by the simple ability to receive hot, running water directly into their kitchens.
In the 1950s the American dream was for a housewife to have a working husband with one or two children in a nice house with a white picket fence. Leave it to Beaver is a prime example of what this idealistic life would have been like. The people focused on family values and morals. The reality was a bit different since America was fighting in the Korean War, and also because of the fear and suspicion of communism during McCarthyism. The dream was somewhat realized since many families lived happily in suburban areas in which the wives had dinner ready for the time their husbands would get home from work.
In the new millennium, the basic dream remains the same. Americans live in the land of possibility where it is easy to succeed and live liberally. Every person has the right to an education, economic advancement, and political freedom. Many people aspire to go to college, pursue successful careers, and have loving families. In reality, some people are homeless and there is a recession, which may lead to a severe economic depression. However, there are signs of hope and possibility in this nation: having an African American president, advancing in technology, or maybe becoming famous through youtube.
Despite my passion for Europe, America will always be my home and the place I love most. America symbolizes hope and promise even today, for people living all over the world.