The United States is regarded as the richest country in the world, yet according to the insert on page 168 in your text: International Perspectives:Poverty and Welfare in Other Societies,"Poverty rates tend to be higher in the United States than in many other industrial countries, especially Germany, the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries." Recent statistics from the Census Bureau suggest that 15.1 % of Americans lives in poverty. That is, more than 45 million Americans (more than the amount of people living in the country of Canada with a population of 35 million people) live in Poverty. After reading Chapter two and viewing the two documentaries below:Poor Kids: Childhood Povertyin the U.S., and theHeist: Who Stole the American Dream, discuss the questions below.

Poor Kids: Childhood Poverty in the U.S :https://mercer.kanopy.com/video/frontline-poor-kids(Links to an external site.)(Links to an external site.)

Heist: Who Stole the American Dream:https://mercer.kanopy.com/video/heist(Links to an external site.)(Links to an external site.)

1. Before reading Chapter Two: Poverty, what were your views on who constitutes the poor?
2. How has your views changed or affected after reading this chapter and viewing the two documentaries
3. What did you find most shocking or surprising after reading this chapter and watching the videos?
4. Do you believe the American dream is a myth or reality? Explain your answer.
5. Does the American dream still exist? Explain your answer.