America: Its very roots were laid by pioneers and visionaries with a goal and a dream to accomplish 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 about escaping 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 in their respective times and even to this day. There are various reasons why poverty levels in America are high. For example, our capitalist approach to the economy. History has proven that our economy experiences a “boom and bust”. The early 1920s were a great time of booming business, thanks to the splurges of customers buying Ford Model Ts and new innovations in American homes across the country. Then, in 1929, the world was turned upside down. Banks, businesses, farms and everything you can think of were bankrupt. Most would blame President Herbert Hoover and his lack of leadership in the Nation's budget. Another example of this occurred before the 1920s, in a period called the "Gilded Age" by Mark Twain. Things were going well in the economy thanks to innovators such as Andrew Carnegie and Thomas Edison. In America's heartland, farmers were being treated poorly as they often have been since the beginning of this... middle of paper ... jobs would return to America and poverty levels would immediately decrease. . “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” (Declaration of Independence) Perhaps prosperity was not promised, but with a little thought and American ingenuity, we can have a very prosperous economy. February 4, 2014 http://www.va.gov/oalc/ “Ladders 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." Transition Training Academy - Wounded Warrior Project, nd Web.. 2014.