People who lived the American Dream

Introduction

The idea of the American Dream is kept alive by the stories of individuals who - in one way or the other - are said to have lived the American Dream. Such stories are particularly popular within American society, and are often brought up as sources of inspiration. 

There are numerous examples of people who embody the American Dream and inspire people to believe in it, both historical and current. The list below contains just a few suggestions, we encourage you to think about other examples as well.

John D. Rockefeller

The now famous oil magnate John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) was born into a relatively poor family in New York, with German and English roots. He started working as early as 16 to support his family. Soon, he was lending his savings to neighbors. This helped Rockefeller to eventually open his own company.

Having great analytical skills and flexibility, he began investing in other businesses. Thanks to good investments in oil, business, and industry, Rocke...