ABSTRACT

The United States is a nation of immigrants, and the American Dream is the spiritual pillar of the immigrants. This thesis provides a detailed introduction to the relations of American immigrants, racial discrimination and American Dream. By analyzing the relationship between American immigrants and the American Dream, the paper aims to predict the future social problems of the Unites States. On the one hand, the author focus on the relationship between American racial discrimination and the evolution of American Dream from a historical point of view, trying to explore why the US immigrants still believe in the American Dream when treated unfairly. On the other hand, the author does some research on the solidification of the American social class and the problem of US immigrants' employment, wealth sharing, education, political rights and their hopes in the past decades. As a result, the American Dream is no longer a transcendent force to support the immigrants. During the administration of the Democratic Party, the gap between the rich and the poor had widened. We can notice that the United States is facing the most serious social crisis in its history, which may lead to its degradation from a superpower to a regional power. The accumulated ulcer of racial discrimination between the whites and the colored man in the end becomes the last straw for the social turmoil and the collapse of US.

Key Words：Race; Discrimination; Social Stratification; American Dream；Immigrants

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

Ⅰ. Introduction-1

Ⅱ.Early European immigrants and their American Dream-2

2.1 Definition of American Dream-2

2.2 American Dream means opportunities and hope-5

Ⅲ.Social mobility and immigrants’ firm American Dream-8

3.1 Immigrants’ firm American Dream-8

3.2 Racial discrimination and immigrants-10

Ⅳ.Solidification of social class and the end of immigrants’ American Dream-13

4.1 Solidification of social class-13

4.2 The end of immigrants’ American Dream-18

Ⅴ.Conclusion-22

References

Acknowledgements