The American Dream In The 1920's

The American Dream, a dream that is fruitful to many and invisible to others. There have been many different views of this dream; some see it as a stream of rewards paying people back for their hard work, while others see as a tantalizing fantasy that gives false hope to many Americans. The dream has had many different identities throughout history. Changes in the culture, economy, and politics have contributed to the shift of the American Dream.

The first half of the century had an abundance of different views toward the American Dream. In the twenties the dream was one of hope and materialism. Because WWI had just ended, the economy was in great shape and people were willing to spend. This spending led to a greedy society; everyone wanted to be wealthier than their

neighbor.

Throughout this period sports, music, and other forms of entertainment were very popular. These influences led to a more laid back population who wanted to have fun. The next decade proved to be very different from the twenties. In the thirties the economy plummeted. The stock market crash in 1929 and the Dust Bowl hit the entire population economically. People view of the world was very hopeless; they saw the American dream as nothing. When the stock market crashed, so did the lives of the American citizens. The dream was altered from being one about wealth and prosperity to simply surviving. Although the dream was very dismal during this period of time it would soon get better in the forties and fifties. In the forties and fifties the dream started as a driving force for hard work to help the war effort. Women had to take the men’s spot in the workforce and take care of the country. This need for women gave them a new outlook on the American Dream. Women now had a taste of equality and

would fight for equality, inspiring many women to come. When the men returned from war the women had to resume their household positions and the dream shifted once again. The dream would now be simpler, people just wanted to have a nice house, a good job, and the fit into society while still trying to one up their neighbor. The competitive aspects of trying to one up your neighbor led to a materialistic American Dream, much like that of the twenties.
The American Dream in the latter half of the century was similar to the first half because it would constantly change with the different events going on in the country. In the sixties and seventies there was a large movement for peace and equality. The Vietnam War sparked a flame of peace in many Americans and the civil rights movement gave people a thirst for equality. There were also different events that happened that skyrocketed American moral such as man landing on the moon and the beginning of Microsoft. These events influenced several people and made them have a dream that was of love and peace. During the eighties and nineties the American Dream was to have a strong and healthy family. Due to the different events going on at the time, the dream would depend on where you came from. Black Americans may have had a dream of being treaty with more equality and because workers in the nineties had high wages they could have had a dream that is more about being wealthy. Another common part of the dream at this time was that people wanted the generation after them to have a better life than they did. As for the generation after them, the dream is very weak. The cost of living has gone up, the unemployment rate is high, and terrorism is extremely prevalent. Although many have stopped believing in the dream, others have shown that it is true. People like Barack Obama (the first black president) and Hilary Clinton (the first female senator of state) have proved the dream’s value.
Due to the constant changes that are happening in American, the American Dream has altered drastically. In the twenties the dream was very hopeful and consumer centered but was soon made one of simply surviving and despair, the thirties. The dream would then be changed along with the events going on in the U.S.