Title: American Dream - Definition, Origin and Historical Phases
Headings: American Dream
American Dream
What is the American Dream?
The Origin of the American Dream
The Many Versions of the American Dream
19 th Century America
The 20 th Century American Dream
Conclusion
Related Readings

Content: The Many Versions of the American Dream
Throughout the history of the U.S. – both before and after it became an independent nation – the American Dream has changed, going through a variety of forms and meanings while maintaining as its essence the core beliefs of freedom and happiness in place. In its earliest years, the dream was centered around the lure of westward expansion and frontier life within the U.S. In 1774, Virginia’s Governor, John Murray, said that most Americans were constantly imagining that “the Lands further off are still better than those upon which they are already settled.” He also noted the constant dissatisfaction and desire for even more and even better when he said that, “If they attained Paradise, they would move on if they heard of a better place farther west.” 19 th Century America
In the 19 th century, the beginnings of mass emigration were affected by and affected the American Dream. A perfect example of this is the emigration of many highly-educated Germans, who ran to the U.S. after the failure of the 1848 German revolution and the attempt to break down hierarchical standards. They were drawn by the political and economic freedoms embraced in the New World, and the fact that America did not operate on the same class system, nor did it subscribe to the notion that a person could only achieve as much as their class dictated. The American Dream was also significantly shaped and perpetuated by the discovery of gold in the 19 th century. The 1849 discovery in California drew in hundreds of thousands of men believing that they, too, could pan a fortune overnight. While most did not, and in fact, many men spent their families’ entire savings to find nothing, several men did become rich in a matter of days. While it has changed through many years and different political and economic circumstances within the country, the belief that personal success is possible for anyone to attain is a dream that still motivates Americans today.