What is the American Dream? This goal is different for each person. For some it may mean becoming an American citizen, while others dream of being a successful business owner or buying a home and sending the kids off to college. Around the globe the American Dream may simply mean a better life, one where the people have a say in the way things are run and there are no late night visits to the door by secret police. At the most basic the American Dream means having a real chance to realize your goals and to create a better life for yourself, no matter what this may involve. Hard work and perseverance are the trademarks that this country was founded on. That dream is still alive today for immigrants, and for those who have the good luck to be born in the country so they are automatically a citizen by birth.