Nashua North Media Center: English 3: American Dream

Spotlight on Databases

Gale in Context: High School (Gale) Covering most subject areas, it includes articles from reference books, magazines and newspapers, primary sources, criticism, audio and video clips, websites, etc.
American History (ABC-Clio)
Includes more than 16,000 primary and secondary sources, including government and court documents, photos, maps, audio and video recordings, along nearly 3,300 biographies of famous political and military figures. Cite as Original Content in NoodleBib.

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Other Recommended Databases

Gale eBooks (GVRL)
A collection of E-references including The Encyclopedia of World Biography and Novels for Students.

The Novels for Students and American Decades reference sets within this database should be helpful, both can be searched by title.

Ebsco's Explora Covering many topics, the interface for this database of magazine, newspaper and journal articles is designed for high school students.
Ebsco's Academic Search Premier A college level database of 4,650 journals covering many subjects
Britannica School Online Made for today’s digital classroom, with extensive, up-to-date information sources. Allows students to move easily to material of higher or lower reading levels as needed. The content is reliable, age-appropriate, updated continuously and closely correlated to all curriculum standards,

Websites

American Public Radio. A Better Life: Creating the American Dream

Pew Research Center. Most think the ‘American dream’ is within reach for them

Books

The American Dream
Call Number: 973.921 AME
A photographic look back at the decade of the 1950s, discussing the Eisenhower presidency, surburbia, cars, the Cold War, McCarthyism, art and entertainment, television, and sports.
The American Dream (Bloom's Literary Themes)
Call Number: 810.9358 AME
Contains nineteen critical essays that explore the theme of the American dream in various works, including The Great Gatsby, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Walden, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Death of a Salesman, Of Mice and Men, On the Road, A raisin in the Sun, and others.
The American Dream: Stories from the Heart of our Nation
Call Number: 973.92 RAT
Journalist Dan Rather presents the stories of more than thirty everyday American men and women who have pursued their dreams of liberty, happiness, family, fame, education, innovation, and service.
Novels for Students, vol. 2
Call Number: 809.3 NOV
Contains profiles of The Great Gatsby and fourteen other novels, each including an introduction to the story and its author, a plot summary, descriptions of characters, analysis of themes and style, discussion of historical context, a critical overview, and other related information.
This Land Is Our Land
Call Number: 304.8097 OSB
Explores the way government policy and popular responses to immigrant groups evolved throughout U.S. history, particularly between 1800 and 1965.
A Visionary Nation: Four Centuries of the American Dream and what Lies Ahead
Call Number: 973 KAR
Explores how Americans' obsession with creating a perfect society has influenced the country's development throughout history.
The Wealth Gap
Call Number: 331.2153 WEA
A collection of essays that examine the issue of the wealth gap in the United States.
Who Stole the American Dream?
Call Number: 973.91 SMI
Hedrick Smith argues how American politics have undermined the middle class economy, including the negative effects of 401(k)s, how moderate politicians are sidelined, and Congress' frequent disinterest with public opinion.
American Life and Movies from the Ten Commandments to Twilight
Call Number: 791.4309 BEN
Provides a look at the history of film in America starting with the 1950s: "Trouble Brewing Beneath the American Dream." (chapter 1)

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Multimedia

Is the American Dream Still Alive" (CBS Sunday Morning, 2015)