- a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the United States: I want to find a decent job, buy a house, have a family, and live the American dream.
- the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American: The American Dream even allows us to criticize America, as part of our freedom of speech.
- the notion that the American social, economic, and political system makes success possible for every individual
