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The Declaration of Independence
American ideals overcame tyranny. The "home of the free, land of the brave" became established. -
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The American Dream
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Manifest Destiny
The ideal America was destined to expand gave growth to the power and ideals of America. -
Civil War
Civil war begins. Rights are sought after as Lincoln stresses hard work to overcome the enemy. Abe Lincoln believed hard work would pay off, a main american ideal. -
Civil War ends
Slaves are freed and the American ideal of equality takes action. -
Urbanization Begins
The mass migration of lifestyle from rural-esque to a city based life. This brought more cultures together but and raised the new "rags to riches" ideal. People began coming from poor to rich. -
The American Dream is official! (Right?)
Author James Adams publishes "The Epic of America" and the term "the American dream" is officially coined. -
The New Deal
FDR establishes new laws to help pull America out of the depression, whilst trying to preserve the ideals of capitalism. The ideas helped people back on their feet and helped them realize there may be an attainable dream and purpose. Faith was restored in America (for the most part.) -
Levittown
The birth of the first suburb, materialism and suburban "politics" ensue. Life becomes less about satisfaction and more about money. Segregation also increased as Levittowns didn't allow any African-Americans into the residency. -
Credit Cards
Consumer credit begins and from here on, exponentially increases. The spiral of Americans buying on credit and debt begins, and the unstoppable force of greed and desire overwhelms logic and reason, yet again, as the American dream becomes infected with the cancerous sores of debt. -
Debt + materialism = American Dream?
The materialistic nature of Americans settles, as success is now believed to be how many figures one's salary is. -
Unattainable
The American dream is seen as unattainable, the ideals of the past are now seen as laughable.