The American Dream

We are all used to hearing the phrase, "The American Dream." But what really is the American Dream? Between 1776 and today, it has changed from a dream of freedom and equal opportunity, to the pursuit of homeownership and material wealth. The main reason for this transformation is the strong influence of advertisements in the media.
The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson, told the world what our dream was. It is the document our country was founded on. Our government laid its foundation on the principle, “That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” In 1776 the American dream was a dream of freedom. The Declaration of Independence made it known that the purpose of a government is to guard its peoples rights and freedom. Jefferson stated, "Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the go...