https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia en-us 2023-07-31 16:12:23 UTC 2023-07-31 22:02:33 UTC hello@padlet.com oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653663622 During the Colonial Era, there was a different image of the American Dream than we have today. The founding fathers of the United States of America believed that everyone was entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that one's class or circumstances of birth shouldn't affect their potential for financial success and happiness. ]]> 2023-07-31 16:28:28 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653663622 oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653667536 During westward expansion in the United States, the idea behind a lot of the American Dream had to do with owning land. As the colonies continued expanding into the west, ideas such as manifest destiny and the vision of owning land pressed citizens to seek out land for themselves in the west. The idea was that if you worked hard enough, you could own the expensive property in the west. ]]> 2023-07-31 16:36:57 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653667536 oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653671875 During the Great Depression, a time when almost everyone was struggling financially in the US, the ideas behind the American Dream changed once again. Instead of extreme financial affluence, the vision was simply that everyone could earn a decent wage to live on. As James Truslow Adams phrased it in 1931, the American Dream is that of "a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement . . . regardless of fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."]]> 2023-07-31 16:49:28 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653671875 oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653674536 Throughout America's history, immigration has always been a major component of the nation, and a major influence for the American Dream. The idea that you could move to America and be financially successful and happy is a very attractive idea, and likely a major influence for many who chose to immigrate to the US over other countries. Immigrants helped to shape both the United States as a whole, and also the idea of the American Dream. Immigrants flooding into America caused a major shift in the ideology behind the American dream. They came ready to work hard, looking for happiness and success. ]]> 2023-07-31 16:56:51 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653674536 oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653682493 In the early 20th century, the vision of the American Dream changed yet again with the ideologies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. His new deal programs promised a safe and healthy future for every American, which was a new vision of the American Dream. ]]> 2023-07-31 17:19:27 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653682493 oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653682796 During World War II (WWII), one of the main arguments used by individuals who wanted others to fight in the war was that by doing so you were defending the American Dream. The idea was that because in America we had such a privilege, we had to fight to secure that right for others. ]]> 2023-07-31 17:19:45 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653682796 oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653682836 After the war, soldiers returned to the states with visions of home ownership and security, which once again changed the ideas behind the American Dream. Home ownership was closely tied to it during this period. This resulted in a building boom, creation of suburbs, and a variety of consumer products created to appeal to this demographic. ]]> 2023-07-31 17:19:52 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653682836 oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653685291 With the advent of television, Americans started to see examples of what they thought was the American dream, in sitcoms. They saw the "ideal family" on TV, and wanted to be like them. So, they ended up spending more and more money to try and live up to this vision. With the advent of the credit card, they no longer had to save up for what they wanted, and could instead purchase it on credit. However, this overspending of money lead to more issues later, in the 21st century. ]]> 2023-07-31 17:27:51 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653685291 oscarhunt406 https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653767793 In the early 21st century, the mortgage crisis lead to yet another drastic change to the vision of the American Dream. People were losing their houses, in what president Obama referred to as a reversal of the American Dream. However, he also stated that it wasn't the possibility of the American Dream changing, but rather our understanding of what the American Dream was. The middle class in America has been steadily shrinking, while the lower and upper classes both steadily grow. Many speculate that this has lead to the American dream morphing from just having the important things to live a happy life into owning the "best" things, and the most expensive things. However, regardless, the core principles of the American Dream still ring true, and it remains a key idea in our country. ]]> 2023-07-31 22:02:33 UTC https://padlet.com/oscarhunt406/49o3wjooubrd7zia/wish/2653767793