American Dream Timeline: Key Events & Ideas

THE AMERICAN DREAM TIMELINE
Date
Event
Key ideas
1620
Many English people ed
their nave country to
escape religious
persecuon.
They were looking for
freedom and an abundant
life.
 Freedom
 religion
1776
The declaraon of
independence was wrien
by Franklin, Adams and
Jeerson. It stated that
everyone is equal and free
to pursue happiness.
 Independence
 Equality
 The pursuit of
happiness
1850’
s
The manifest desny
doctrine claimed that
Americans were free to
conquer the wild west, at
the expense of the nave
populaon.
 Expansion
 Desny/God’s
given mission
1848
Gold was discovered in
California which led to the
largest migraon in U.S.
history. People were
hoping to become rich
quickly although many
 Get rich
quickly
 Suer tough
condions
 Migraon and
pipe dreams

diggers suered tough
condions.
1883
1900’
s
1950’
s
1980’
s
EVOLUTION :