Social Welfare Programs In Colonial America
Social Welfare is defined as being programs that are run by government to promote the well being of its citizens. Throughout the history of the United States Social Welfare programs have been subject to many changes, due to the changing philosophies of Us Citizens.
During Colonial times Social Welfare needs were met primarily through mutual aid. The majority of people lived in farming communities. People in these communities lived in extended families. People generally worked together to support each other. If a person had a problem their families and communities reached out to help. Only rarely were there people who did not get their needs met by their families. In that event, churches or private organizations usually stepped into …show more content…
The result was some limited movement to state funding and the creation of poor
houses to contain' the problem. (Tanenhaus, 2000) Relief was made as unpleasant as possible in order to discourage dependence. Those people who received relief could lose their personal property, their right to vote, their right to move, and in some cases were even required to were a large "P" on their clothing to announce their status. (SSA History Page).
The 1930's brought about economic disaster for the United States. Unemployment levels soared to 25%. (SSA) Suddenly there were all types of people who were unable to meet their own needs. People could no longer justify economic failure as moral defects. Economic disaster became so widespread during the Great Depression that people had no choice but to look to the US Government to help meet their needs. In 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed several social programs that were designed to assist those in …show more content…
AFDC was a federally mandated program that guaranteed
cash assistance to families with needy children. Needy children were defined as having been "deprived of parental support or care because their father or mother is absent form the home continuously, is incapacitated, is deceased, or is unemployed. (Page, Larner, Vol 7 pg. 21) Both Social Security and AFDC were both entitlement programs. They provide benefits as a matter of right to those who meet the criteria established by law.
During the 1960's there was a great expansion in social programs. In 1964, the Food Stamp Act expanded the role of the federal government in giving food coupons to needy families. In 1965 President Johnson proposed a set of programs called the "Great Society" which were intended to ease economic hardships and eradicate racial inequality. The Great Society incorporated another set of programs called "The War on Poverty."
One of the programs under the "Great Society" was the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This provided federal assistance to low income school districts to help improve the quality of educational programs and make the poor more competitive for jobs and, therefore, reduce the economic disadvantages of the poor. (National Records
During Colonial times Social Welfare needs were met primarily through mutual aid. The majority of people lived in farming communities. People in these communities lived in extended families. People generally worked together to support each other. If a person had a problem their families and communities reached out to help. Only rarely were there people who did not get their needs met by their families. In that event, churches or private organizations usually stepped into …show more content…
The result was some limited movement to state funding and the creation of poor
houses to contain' the problem. (Tanenhaus, 2000) Relief was made as unpleasant as possible in order to discourage dependence. Those people who received relief could lose their personal property, their right to vote, their right to move, and in some cases were even required to were a large "P" on their clothing to announce their status. (SSA History Page).
The 1930's brought about economic disaster for the United States. Unemployment levels soared to 25%. (SSA) Suddenly there were all types of people who were unable to meet their own needs. People could no longer justify economic failure as moral defects. Economic disaster became so widespread during the Great Depression that people had no choice but to look to the US Government to help meet their needs. In 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed several social programs that were designed to assist those in …show more content…
AFDC was a federally mandated program that guaranteed
cash assistance to families with needy children. Needy children were defined as having been "deprived of parental support or care because their father or mother is absent form the home continuously, is incapacitated, is deceased, or is unemployed. (Page, Larner, Vol 7 pg. 21) Both Social Security and AFDC were both entitlement programs. They provide benefits as a matter of right to those who meet the criteria established by law.
During the 1960's there was a great expansion in social programs. In 1964, the Food Stamp Act expanded the role of the federal government in giving food coupons to needy families. In 1965 President Johnson proposed a set of programs called the "Great Society" which were intended to ease economic hardships and eradicate racial inequality. The Great Society incorporated another set of programs called "The War on Poverty."
One of the programs under the "Great Society" was the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This provided federal assistance to low income school districts to help improve the quality of educational programs and make the poor more competitive for jobs and, therefore, reduce the economic disadvantages of the poor. (National Records