America: Its very roots were laid by pioneers and visionaries with the goal and dream of achieving something greater than themselves. Although “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” were promised by our Founding Fathers, prosperity was not. (Declaration of Independence) For centuries, immigrants have flocked to our country in search of a better life. For some, it was to escape oppressive governments, famine and natural disasters. For some it was just pure adventure. Most families gave up everything they had to come to America because they heard stories of prosperity and wealth from people like Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and John D. Rockefeller. Most immigrants were not so lucky or did not work hard enough to be like these great contributors to their respective eras and even the present day. There are a number of reasons why poverty levels in America are high. For example, our capitalist approach to the economy. History has shown that our economy experiences a “boom and bust.” The early 1920s were an excellent time, filled with thriving businesses, spending sprees by customers purchasing Model T Fords, and new innovations in American homes across the country. Then, in 1929, the world was turned upside down. Banks, corporations, farms and everything you can think of was going bankrupt. Most would blame President Herbert Hoover and his lack of leadership in the national budget. Another example of this took place before the 1920s, in a period marked by Mark Twain as “The Gilded Age.” Things seemed to be going well in the economy thanks to innovators like Andrew Carnegie and Thomas Edison. In America's heartland, farmers were being treated poorly, as has often been done since the beginning of this...... medium of work... of paper in America, and poverty levels would immediately drop. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. (Declaration of Independence) Prosperity may not have been promised, but with a little American brains and ingenuity, we can have a very prosperous economy. Works Cited The root causes of Detroit's decline should not be ignored." Newgeography.com. Np, nd Web February 4, 2014 http://www.va.gov/oalc/ "The Stairs of Opportunity." The White House, nd Web February 4, 2014Roberts, Sam. Brutal Question: Police Violence, Public Trust." The New York Times. The New York Times, March 21, 1991. Web. February 5, 2014." Peter “Pistol Pete” Rollock. Gorilla Convict. Np, nd Web. February 5, 2014. "Transition Training Academy - Wounded Warrior Project".. 2014.