What is the American dream? Freedom, justice, life, and liberty are the basic elements of the American dream. America was built on these dreams. "Give me liberty or give me death" was once just a dream. Many years ago the people of the United States chose to take a risk and put their lives on the line, all for the American dream. Americans declared their independence in 1776 when Benjamin Franklin, in all his wisdom, stated, "We must all hang together or assuredly we shall all hang separately". These words embodied the true American spirit. .
America has an extraordinary history when it comes to living the American dream. Abraham Lincoln stood tall and led us through the Civil War with the belief that the United States should have a new birth of freedom. Americans fought valiantly for the red, white, and blue in both World Wars, while the tomb of the Unknown Soldier still burns bright in the minds of Americans. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a courageous man with polio who could no longer walk with ease, brought the world's aggressors to their knees as America triumphed in victory at the close of World War II. 58,202 American sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall with the sober reminder that the price of freedom is never free. While the Berlin Wall crashed down, the seeds of democracy stood up worldwide. Desert Shield and Desert Storm triumphed because of the leadership of two men who believed in the American dream. General Powell and General Schwarzkopf acted rapidly, stood their ground, and accomplished the impossible in record time. Many heroic American soldiers gave their lives for America. These men are gone, but not forgotten. The American dream would not have been possible without their valiant efforts.
Never before have things changed so rapidly. Less than twenty years ago, the personal computer was just a dream. Today, powerful laptop computers, cellular phones, and the Internet are a way of life.
