 By the time the century ended, we had close to 76 million between our oceans. The new nation had become the dream of people all over the world, and millions came in leaps and bounds, with little more than the clothes on their backs and hope in their hearts. And all they asked was for a chance to put their two hands to work in our free marketplace. Europe's poorest became America's middle class. Men willing to work found no limits on their ambitions.