Alyssa, Catherine, Justin, Francisco

7th period
AD Synthesis Essay
In 1933 historian James Truslow Adams coined the phrase The American
Dream, and it has stuck. Immigrants have come to the United States searching for
the chance to make it big, to become wealthy, to build a safe home for their
children and their childrens children, and the dream was always one about the
opportunity to advance and create a better life, though it was expressed in different
forms and ideas. Since the 1930s, the American Dream has changed and been
sculpted to fit the views and expectations of the time whether it was World War II,
the Cold War, Civil Rights Movement, etc. while also maintaining many of the
original characteristics of the dream.
During the 50s, the height of democracy was taking off. Americans were
enthralled by democracy as it gave us the rights, liberty, and protection we sought
for such as the freedom of speech and the freedom to practice any religion we want.
However, during this time democracy was threatened by communism and the
Soviet Union. For the first time the U.S. was physically threatened by a powerful
military force (Bowles), and this frightened many Americans as they had thought
they were invincible due to World War I and World War II. However, many continued
to believe anyone can rise to the heights he is capable (Bowles) of in the United
States even at a time of danger. As a decade passed, and it proceeded into the 60s,
the young adult generation was getting frustrated with the United States
involvement with the Vietnam War, and they voiced their opinions through protests
and riots, some even used violence like throwing firecrackers, bombs, and sticks
(Youth). This generation used their right to speech though they sometimes pushed
the limit to the best of their abilities, and it only showed the beauty of democracy.
The belief of democracy, freedom, opinion had grown and today its principles are
accepted and respected (Bowles) across the world where it will continue to grow
and evolve as time goes on in our ever changing society.

In the midst of the Cold War, the nation consisted of members [who believed they could]
decide their own fates (Essence) and had a passion for a life beyond wealth as many Americans
today continue to possess. Today Americans are able to choose what they want to do with their
lives. For example in high school most teens are able to decide what classes they want to take
and begin to develop an idea of what they wish to achieve once they are older. This allows for
everyone to carve their own path by determining how to live, how to conduct themselves, and
where they establish themselves. Only two or three decades ago most children followed their
parents footsteps or wishes and became lawyers to please them, inherited a store because of
them, or simply worked in the same profession to them; however, today young adults are able to
decide their own path because of their independence.

From the mid to late 1900s the U.S. was at war with Vietnam, and this put a lot of strain on
the nation. As a result of the building tension, people were being held back from achieving the
hope, the wish, the want for a better life of riches, happiness, and health. During this time, David
Burton was interviewed, and he shared his personal experiences and opinions about America and
the abilities citizens have in the country to advance and make their life a happier one. To him, he
didnt want to be wealthy, but he wanted recognition for what he has done in his life (Wooten).
However, money became an issue, and he realized that it took so much to just make it that
theres no time for dreams and no energy for making them come true (Wooten). With the
demand of materials for the war, he worked for long hours with little pay, and like most of
society he was slowly becoming discouraged and losing sight of the American Dream. Despite
all of Mr. Burtons efforts: gaining a job at Ford Motor Company, trying to finish college, and
even starting a family, it all seemed to be for nothing (Wooten). Because of his lack of money, he
was unable to finish college, and he had to work twice as hard to support his family (Wooten),
and he had completely given up on achieving recognition and was only focused on caring for his
family (Wooten). With everything being pinned against them, people had no choice but to give
up the American Dream.
However, the belief that working hard would get a person where he or she wants in life
revived back in the 1990s. The 90s held a similar ideal for betterment and prosperity where their
wishes were evolving and expanding based off the previous generations goals. As teenagers
emerged into adults at the time, their wants were becoming bigger and more magnificent
(Williams); though they still wanted a family, a house, and a steady job, they also wanted a
vacation home, a college degree, and a vacation in the Caribbean (Williams). Even when
America was in a rough economic spot during the 90s, many still pursued this dream like many
Americans did during the Great Depression to the point that the worse off the country is, the
bigger the dream grows, even when they werent able to achieve it.
The American Dream started to include a wealthy lifestyle when immigrants came to the
United States because they believe there were more opportunities. However, there are studies
from DiPrete, a professor of sociology at Columbia University that concluded that the average
American is unlikely to become rich (Dunleavey), but the idea of becoming rich has formulated
in most American minds and a 2003 Gallup poll found that about a third of Americans said they
expected to be rich someday (Dunleavey), which is highly unlikely for the majority them. Also,
because of federal reforms, the U.S dropped from 6th to 11th place in the Annual Index of
Economic Freedom, in the last seven years (Ganza) further proving that becoming wealthy is
harder than it was in previous years. Due to these difficulties, the ideals are slowly changing
from being rich, but improving and changing the world for the better by enlightening people
about different cultures or fixing inequalities. Today it isn't so much about wealth that makes up
the American Dream, but the freedom we have to build up our vision of that dream as it is said in
the Essence of America, it's our freedom and democracy that make our way of life better.
Since the 1930s, the American Dream has transformed into different beliefs that morphed
into what Americans were currently obsessing or fighting for at the time. At times, the dream
almost seems to disappear, but it suddenly comes back in full force due to a growing generation

that bases their dreams off the misfortunes of their parents, where they hope they can simply do
better than the generation before them. While the belief has persisted through the decades, it has
never fully stayed the same to what Adams believed it was, and it will likely not stay the same as
it is right now because our country is constantly changing and with it, the American Dream will
also change.
Works Cited

Bowles, Chester. The Most Powerful Idea in the World. The New York Times. 13 May. 1951.
Dunleavey, MP. You Really Cant Be Too Rich. The New York Times. 21 May. 2005.
Essence of America. The New York Times. 9 August. 1959.
Garza, Daniel. The American Dream Dependent on Economic Freedom. Townhall.com. 8 Feb. 2016.
Williams, Lena. Testing the Resonance of the American Dream. The New York Times. 23 June. 1996.
Wooten, James T. Pre-Election Theres No Time for Dreams. The New York Times. 17 Oct. 1974.
Youth in Revolt. The New York Times. 26 January. 1969.