The American way of life, or simply the American way, is the unique lifestyle, real or imagined, of the people living in the United States of America. It refers to a nationalist ethos that purports to adhere to principles of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." At the center of the American way is the American Dream, the idea that upward mobility is achievable by any American through hard work. This concept is intertwined with the concept of American exceptionalism, the belief in the unique culture of the nation.
This way of life, which developed from the 17th century onward, is an example of a behavioral modality, a set of behavioral norms which develops in a group.