The American Dream & The Pursuit of Happiness

This is part two of American Goals and Purposes.

What is the American Dream?

In the Declaration of Independence, one of the first fundamental rights mentioned is the pursuit of Happiness. This right comes in the same sentence as Life and Liberty, and Happiness is capitalized, as was the custom then in denoting things that are important.

What is this Happiness we pursue?

In Of Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford describes firsthand the things that impelled the Pilgrims to leave Europe and come to America. He describes the oppression in England and the hardships of the life they had subsequently in Amsterdam. He talks of the approach of war and the fears and uncertainties war brings. They wanted to have a place where their children could grow--a place that might not be so hard on them, and a place that would not corrupt them, as they feared the crowded and licentious city of Amsterdam was doing. (Most people familiar with Amsterdam will agree that the word 'licentious' is not far from the mark as an adjective for it.)

America was seen as a place where they could begin to build something better.

After them, wave upon wave of immigrants in similar conditions, with similar thoughts, followed.

America was the New World--the place where we could do better.

Even today, people experiencing difficult conditions in their own countries find their way to America. Most of these new arrivals love this place and believe in its dreams.

The lure of riches is here, but the first thing is an opportunity to escape from poverty. There is also the escape from violence and oppression. These things mean something even today to people who come here from less fortunate places.