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American Dream

This paper will prove that the American Dream can best be explained as a city upon a hill, meaning being above and superior over those below. The Civil War, the imperialistic race of the 19th century, the Korean War, the KKK, and the Gulf War are all examples of the American Dream of superiority playing a part in American History. Americans all have a different idea of this superiority, but nonetheless strive to achieve it, where ever it may be.
The Civil War, which split the United States, was a clash of two aspects of approaching the American Dream in a young America. Both sides felt their idea's and philosophies were far greater than those of the opposing side and therefore would benefit the nation more and make it superior. Both North and South wanted to better the country to have it achieve the American Dream. Unfortunately, each side had a different points of view as to how to achieve it. Slavery was a major issue, the North against, the South for it.
The disagreements on slavery lead to difficulty in the issue of Westward expansion. Both agreed to it, but whether to admit them as free or slave states was where the split occurred. The compromise of 1850 stated that California enters free, and New Mexico and Utah decided on their own, which is giving them more state rights in which the South heavily supported. This compromise did not give either side complete satisfaction.
The issue of State rights intensified by the issue of slavery because the Southern states felt they had the right to decide on their own about Slavery without intervention. It seems the Southern states felt that the American dream was out of their grasp because they felt weak and inferior with the Central government.
When the American Revolution was fought to break from Britain, the Southern States thought they would be treated as sovereign and free. With the State's limited power, they felt as if the Federal government would become a monarchy. The Northern States wanted the American...