American Dream Inequality

Words: 1548
Pages: 7

The American Dream is perceived in many different ways. Everyone has their own definition of what they believe the American Dream is and how attainable that dream can be. The term "American Dream" was coined by writer and historian James Truslow Adams in which he described it as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement." It was the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations to be achieved, where every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life. Around the time of the nineteenth century, the American dream was achieving gender, racial, and economic equality; Viewing all genders, races, and social classes as equals. This was so important to the American people because during this time period there were many examples of inequality, three of them being the idea of separate spheres (1780-1850), the great railroad strike (1877), and the opening of the Carlisle school (1879). But over time, America has made great strides to try to …show more content…
The nineteenth amendment gave women a right to vote, which helped the people realize that women have a voice. This was a huge accomplishment for women's rights and one that had been fought for by so many, for example, flappers. Flappers are a group of young women known for their energetic freedom. As the first generation of independent women they embraced a lifestyle that was viewed by many at the time as outrageous, immoral, or downright dangerous but through their actions they pushed the barriers for economic, political, and sexual freedoms for women. Though not alone, flappers played a significant role in the fight for women's right to vote and women's rights in general. Today, women still have similar struggles, but immense progress has been made for women's