You've probably noticed that American revolutionary leaders like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were not ordinary people. Extremely intelligent, highly educated, ethical, and motivated, they were both thinkers and doers—an ideal combination for establishing and shaping a new nation. Throughout history, people who are well known for speaking or writing texts that express a country's political values are called that country's states people. Jefferson and Washington were both statesmen; they also were born into wealthy families with many advantages. Benjamin Franklin, however, had a very different kind of upbringing. How did the son of a poor candle maker—one of 17 children in his family—become one of the United States' greatest statesmen?



Question
What do most people mean by the phrase "the American Dream"?