I believe that a big element of the American Dream is success. People spend their lives on the "pursuit of happiness," always striving to get to the top. Success doesn't necessarily have an origin, considering people have always had dreams and goals they wanted to accomplish. Naturally, over time, the definition of the word has altered to fit people's dreams. For example, during the Gold Rush in the mid 1800s, most Americans wanted to move west so that they could get a share in the valuable gold being found all over the region. At this time, success would have been considered to be finding gold and getting money to benefit your impoverished family, all after packing up and resettled onto new land out west to find a new life. This element is still very relevant in today's society. However, the meaning has changed greatly. Nowadays, it is measured more by how much money can be made while doing the least amount of work. Either way, success will always be a huge part of the American Dream, no matter how the meaning changes.
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