Skip to main content
Penn State Behrend
Hotline Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Graduate Programs
    • Open Lab Learning
    • Research Opportunities
    • Black School of Business
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science
    • Nursing Program
  • Admissions
    • About Penn State Behrend
    • First-Year Students
    • Transfer Students
    • International Students
    • Change of Campus Students
    • Adult Learners
    • Graduate Students
    • Applying to Behrend
    • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • Commuter Life
    • Residence Life
    • Dining on Campus
    • Athletics and Recreation
    • Clubs and Activities
    • Equity and Diversity
    • Student Services
    • Safety on Campus
  • Information For
    • Future Students
    • Current Students
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Alumni
    • Donors & Friends
    • Business & Industry
    • Visitors
Full site navigation menu

This dialog contains the full navigation menu for this site.

Penn State Behrend
Enter the terms you wish to search for.
Search type:
Hotline Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • This is Penn State Behrend
    • About Penn State Behrend
    • Behrend as an Open Lab
    • Vision of a Behrend Graduate
    • College Calendars
    • College Leadership
    • People and Departments
    • Visit Behrend
    • Give to Behrend
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Exploratory (Undeclared)
    • Adult Learner Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • Academic Advising
    • Career Services
    • College Registrar
  • Admissions and Aid
    • Penn State Behrend At A Glance
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Visiting Behrend
    • Applying to Behrend
    • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • On-Campus Housing
    • Off-Campus Housing
    • Commuter Resources
    • Dining on Campus
    • Fitness and Recreation
    • Student Activities
    • Safety on Campus
  • Athletics
  • Research and Outreach
    • Research
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research
    • Outreach
    • Community and Workforce Programs
    • James R. Meehl Innovation Commons
    • Knowledge Park
    • K-12 Education Outreach
    • Pennsylvania Sea Grant

Find Information For:

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Alumni
  • Donors & Friends
  • Business & Industry
  • Visitors

Helpful Links

  • Campus Map
  • Virtual Campus Tour
  • Directions to Campus
  • Parking on Campus
  • Safety on Campus
  • Behrend Blog
  • Calendars
  • Directories

Connect With Us

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • instagram
  • youtube
  1. Home
  2. School of Humanities and Social Sciences
  3. The Institute on the American Dream

What is the American Dream? (The Institute on the American Dream)

Interrelations of Freedom-Equality-Success
by Charles Brock

 

Sources and Strivings

 

Time Period Freedom Equality PA Successes
17th century

English Revolution

   American settlement

Levelers

Town Meeting

Seneca Tribe

William Penn

18th century

American Revolution

   Bill of Rights

Declaration of Independence

French Revolution

Amish communities

Benjamin Franklin

19th century

Civil War

   Gettysburg Address

Women's Liberation

Labor Movement

Andrew Carnegie

John L. Lewis

20th century

World Wars

   Four Freedoms

Multi-culturalism

Affirmative Action

John D. Rockefeller

Ida Tarbell

21st century

Human rights [1]

   Refugees [4]

Family of Abraham [2]

Respect for difference [5]

U.E.C.D. [3]

C.O.R.E [6]



Some American Nightmares and Their Critics

  • Fanaticism --- The Crucible by Arthur Miller
  • Cover-up of poverty/racism --- M. L. King, Jr.
  • Sell-out of Native Americans --- Vine Deloria, Jr.
  • Rule by the rich --- Paul Klugman
  • Arrogance of power --- Senator Robert Byrd
  • Idolizing success --- Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
  • Materialism --- Sigmund Freud
  • Health care --- Paul Farmer
  • Cultural hegemony --- Bin Laden
  • SUVs --- The Tappet Brothers

Some Examples of Local Dreams Come True

[1] Erie colleges; radical churches; Pax Christi
[2] Chautauqua Religion Dept; Smith Chapel interfaith worship
[3] Urban Erie Community Development; Behrend and Mercyhurst Erie institutes on economics
[4] International Institute; Pfieffler-Burleigh school etc
[5] Neighborhood Art House; Community Country Day School
[6] Center for Organizational Research & Evaluation – helping local groups get grants etc.

The Institute on the American Dream

  • Defining the Dream (The Institute on the American Dream)
  • Mission Statement (The Institute on the American Dream)
  • What is the American Dream? (The Institute on the American Dream)
  • Projects (The Institute on the American Dream)
Pennsylvania map showing Penn State's campuses with Penn State Behrend highlighted

Penn State Behrend

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers the learning opportunities of a major research university in a welcoming, student-centered campus environment.
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • instagram
  • youtube
Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • This is Penn State Behrend
    • Behrend At A Glance
    • Vision of a Behrend Graduate
    • College Calendars
    • College History
    • College Leadership
    • College Strategy
    • Employment
    • People and Departments
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Graduate Programs
    • Academic Advising
    • Bookstore
    • Career Services
    • College Registrar
    • Learning Resource Center
    • Lilley Library
    • Student Success
    • Study Abroad
  • Admissions
    • Undergraduate
    • Graduate
    • Adult Learners
    • Change of Campus Students
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Veterans
  • Research/Outreach
    • Research
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research
    • Outreach
    • Community and Workforce Programs
    • James R. Meehl Innovation Commons
    • Knowledge Park
    • Pennsylvania Sea Grant
    • Plastics Training Academy
    • WPSE Radio
    • Yahn Planetarium
    • Youth Outreach
  • Student Life
    • Dining on Campus
    • Housing and Residence Life
    • Commuter Student Resources
    • International Student Services
    • Equity and Diversity
    • Athletics and Intramurals
    • Student Leadership and Involvement
    • Student Services
  • Academic Schools
    • Black School of Business
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science
    • Nursing Program
  • Tuition and Financial Aid
    • Tuition and Costs
    • Financial Aid
    • Aid Opportunities and Deadlines
    • Financial Literacy
    • Grants
    • Scholarships
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Helpful Links
    • Campus Map
    • Virtual Tour
    • Directions
    • Parking
    • Safety
    • Behrend Blog
    • Calendars
    • People and Departments
Penn State University
4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563 814-898-6000

Footer Legal Menu

  • Privacy
  • Non-discrimination
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • The Pennsylvania State University © 2022
  • We Are Penn State