The Development of the American Dream

By roygbiv

  • Declaration of Independence

    Declaration of Independence
    The Declaration of Independence says that everyone is entitled to "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

  • Manifest Destiny

    Manifest Destiny
    John L. O'Sullivan coins the term "manifest destiny" to desccribe the inevitable expansion of the United States across North America.

  • Civil War

    Civil War
    The Civil War erupts between the North and South as a result of differing opinions of the American Dream.

  • Disappearance of the American Frontier

    Disappearance of the American Frontier
    The American Frontier is officially declared non-existent, ending the American Dream of the Wild West.

  • Urbanization

    Urbanization
    The city becomes the location where the American Dream can be realized.

  • The Epic of America

    The Epic of America
    James Truslow Adams writes The Epic of America and coins the term "American Dream."

  • The New Deal

    The New Deal
    The pursuit of a "better, richer, and fuller" life became dependent on cooperation as the United States tried to pull itself out of the Great Depression. This was followed by the Social Security Act of 1935, which taxed the employed to insure the unemployed.

  • Four Freedoms

    Four Freedoms
    President Franklin Roosevelt articulates four essential human freedoms that he gives as reasons for fighting in World War II:
    - "freedom of speech"
    - "freedom of worship"
    - "freedom from want"
    - "freedom from fear"

  • Levittown

    Levittown
    William Levitt mass-produces look-alike houses arranged in neighborhoods on Long Island. These buildings are used to house troops returning from World War II. Levitt is now regarded as "the father of modern suburbia."

  • Increase in Education

    Increase in Education
    From 1940 - 1965, the number of adults who complete at least four years of college more than doubles.

  • Credit Cards

    Credit Cards
    The introduction of the credit card gives Americans the ability to spend money they don't have.

  • Dream of Wealth

    Dream of Wealth
    The American Dream has become a dream to be as wealthy as possible.

  • "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"

    "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"
    The game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" airs for the first time on ABC, giving people a chance to get rich quick.

  • Unachievable Dream

    Unachievable Dream
    People set such high standards for the American Dream that they constantly search for more than they already have, causing over half the population to consider the American Dream "unachievable."

  • Frivolous Lawsuits

    Frivolous Lawsuits
    Frivolous lawsuits define the modern-day American Dream: the quest for easy cash.