The American Dream

The American Dream

1. "From rags to riches, from dishwasher to millionaire"

2. hope of self-improvement and success

3. vision and aspiration

4. illusion

5. USA as "the land of promise"

   • some immigrants believed that the streets would be paved with gold
     • the more realistic just hoped for a better life
   • immigrants believed that in America personal success was possible and within reach of each individual because of the social, economic and political conditions for hard-working people

6. liberty, justice and the pursuit of happiness

   • as expressed in the Declaration of Independence 1776

7. foundation of American politics

   • but: this dream of a democratic and prosperous society guranteeing "liberty and justice for all" has not been achieved for all groups in America
     • black Americans >> often shot by white citizens
       • gun law

8. Martin Luther King

   • famous speech "I have a dream" (1960s)
   • referred to the ideal of equality as "a dream deeply rooted in the American dream"
   • was optimistic that the dream would come true for black people too

9. The American Dream in our modern world

   • much harder to follow
   • not everyone is able to achieve personal accomplishment
   • People who are unable to attain success in a competitive world are regarded as loosers

10. Barack Obama

    • elected in 2009
      • 145 years after Abraham Lincoln had freed blacks from slavery
      • slogan "yes we can"
    • first black US President
    • Democrat
    • evoked a new confidence in the American people that solutions to the problems the country was confronted with could eventually be found
    • what did he promise?
      • withdrawl from Iraq
      • tax cuts for the middle class
      • new health insurance ("Obama Care")
      • energy programmes