Self Made Man

1636 Words7 Pages
Made in the U.S.A In his book “The Epic of America” James Adams stated that the American dream is “of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunities for each according to ability or achievement”. Even though this concept is present in the nations Declaration of Independence, this dream is not an easy task for many. In the Declaration of Independence, the authors held certain truths to be self-evident which are that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. From this idea, the American dream emerged. Furthermore, the U.S. cultural landscape is filled with icons that symbolize the American dream. Andrew Carnegie is one icon, who best represents my vision of contemporary U.S. culture which is to achieve financial freedom, achieve happiness while pursuing it, and to give back to those less fortunate. Many people from foreign countries migrate to America in search of the American dream. Andrew Carnegie is a perfect example of a person who migrated to the United States, and began a journey in pursuit of the American Dream. When Carnegie left Scotland at age twelve, he was living with his family in a crammed one bedroom. The Carnegie family decided to move to America in search of better economic opportunities. Andrew Carnegie’s formal education ended when he left Scotland, where he had no more than a few years’ schooling. Soon he found employment as a bobbin boy at a cotton factory, earning $1.20 a week (Andrew). He embodied the American dream because he was an immigrant who went from rags to riches. Carnegie became a powerful businessman and was a leading force in the American steel industry. Andrew Carnegie represented the American dream and became a self-made man. Although Carnegie was a
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