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Elizabethan Poor Laws
The earliest social welfare policy in this country which originally came from England in 1601. This outlined the public's responsibility for the poor and existed until the emergence of the modern welfare state after WWII. This made its presence during the Colonial period in America. -
Residential Institutions
As a response to the growing communities due to the influx of immigrants which had come to America with little to nothing, several different residential institutions were created such as orphanages, almshouses for the poor, and mental asylums. -
Freedman's Bureau
During the Reconstruction period after the war, this launched as the first federal social service program. -
Charity Organization Society
During this time, the Charity Organization Society, which originated in Germany, begin to spread to New York. The basis of this society was that too much outside relief resulted in dependency. This is really when Elizabethan Poor Laws were done away with. -
Social Security Act of 1935
This act provided long-term protections through a federal program of social insurance and public assistance. This was the first comprehensive federal effort to ensure economic security and address poverty. -
The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944
More commonly referred to as the G.I. Bill, the goal of this act was to provided immediate rewards/relief to World War II veterans. The following are just a few of what this program funded: education, training, employment services, etc. These were funded in the hopes that returning soldiers would be able to return more easily to their normal civilian lives. -
Medicaid and Medicare
After struggling for decades to get health coverage for the poor and the elderly, these two programs were finally passed and provided healthcare to low-income people and also to senior citizens. These two programs were added to the Social Security Act.