The American Dream

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The American Dream
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A Unit on Civil Liberties Civil Rights
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The next two slides contain excerpts from
American documents. Identify the documents . . .
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We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their creator with certain inalienable rights,
that among these are life , liberty, the
pursuit of happiness . . .
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We, the people of the United States, in order to
form a more perfect union, establish justice,
insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the
common defense, promote the general welfare, and
secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity . . .
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Identify the American dream, as indicated in the
previous two documents . . .
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For whom was the American Dream originally
intended?
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How does the depiction of the Dream in the
following poem differ from the dream depicted in
the Constitution Declaration?
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Let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned
with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity
is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air
we breathe . . . I am the poor white, fooled
pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slaverys
scars, I am the red man driven from the land, I
am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek, But
finding the same old stupid plan Of dog eat
dog, of might crush the weak . . . I am the
people, humble, hungry, mean . . . Desperate
despite the dream . . .
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• The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, plus the
  actions of the judicial, legislative, and
  executive branches protect the American Dream of
  its citizens through Civil Rights and Civil
  Liberties of all Americans. It is important to
  note that when America was created, many groups
  were excluded from being recognized as citizens,
  but the Constitution, courts and Congress have
  slowly recognized the rights of most groups in
  the United States. The story of the American
  Dream involves three parts
• A group coming to America in search of their
  definition of the American dream, and their
  original treatment in this country by the US
  government
• A group reacting to their initial treatment in
  the country and fighting to gain their rights
  liberties
• The US government reacting to the movements by
  the various groups

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Before we view stage one of the American Dream
for several groups, we must differentiate between
civil rights civil liberties . . .
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Civil Rights rights that the government may not
deny or infringe on because of the race, gender,
national origin, age, or ethnicity of an
individual. Civil Liberties freedoms that the
government must respect, such as the freedom of
speech, press, and assembly that are guaranteed
under the US Constitution, legislation, or
judicial interpretation.
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Group 1
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From 1892 - 1924, more than 16 million people
passed through Ellis Island with the goal of
achieving the American Dream . . .
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Many immigrants names were changed by American
officials as the immigrants passed through Ellis
Island. One immigrant penned these thoughts
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Prospective Immigrants, Please Note Either you
will go through this door, or you will not go
through. The inscription on the liberty bell
calls to you . . . Proclaim liberty throughout
all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.
But will you be allowed to be free? Or only to
labor in vain after your name has been changed?
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Group 2
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A Woman has no legal rights, for she is the
property of her husband . . .
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Women should not be educated they are to be
mothers!
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Group 3
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Instruction to all persons of Japanese
Ancestry You must report for evacuation to
Assembly Centers and transportation to War
Relocation Camps. You may bring only which can
be carried by the individual . . .
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17,000 Japanese Americans served in the the
Second World War. This, despite the fact that
120,000 Japanese Americans were rounded up and
sent to interment camps . . .
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Ten persons were convicted of spying for Japan
during the Second World War all were Caucasians.
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Group 4
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Look at the slides read the lyrics to the song
Fortunate Son by visiting this web
site Fortunate Son
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At the time of the Vietnam War, 18, 19, and 20-
year-olds could not vote, but 61 of the 58,000
killed in Vietnam were 21 years old or younger.
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Group 5
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Most Chinese immigrants came through Angel Island
near San Francisco many were detained there for
months, even years, before they were released
into the states . . .
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There are tens of thousands of poems on these
walls They are all cries of suffering and
sadness The day I am rid of this prison and
become successful I must remember that this
chapter once existed Sketched on the wall of
Angel Island Detention Center
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Group 6
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Identify the group and time period depicted in
the slides. Read the narrative by Frederick
Douglas by visiting this site Frederick Douglass

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Group 7
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Will you teach your children as we have taught
our children? That the earth is our mother?
This we know the earth does not belong to man,
man belongs to the earth . . . Man did not weave
the web of life, he merely is a strand in it . .
. What will happen when the secret corners of the
earth are heavy with the scent of man and the
view of the hills is blotted by talking wires?
Where will the cricket be? GONE. Where will the
eagle be? GONE. And what is it to say goodbye
to the swift pony and the hunter? The end of
living. The Beginning of survival . . .
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Group 8
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Group 9
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Group 10
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Read the lyrics of People of the Sun by Rage
Against the Machine by going to this site People
of the Sun