Welfare In The 1900's

My research paper is on welfare. Welfare came about in the 1900’s the state government as well

as private charities were overwhelmed by the families that were in need/seeking for clothing,

shelter, and food. This has remained for 60 years. In 1920s in America there was an endless

prosperity. Things got demolished, businesses flourished, and the market soared. When the great

depression began a good 18 million disabled and single parents with children had already lived at

a level in the United States. Local government helped these people and their families

tremendously. A couple of years passed by another 13 million Americans had gotten thrown out

of work. The state could no longer provide them any assistance for all that were in need. Women

lost their

husbands, children lost their fathers, and food riots broke out that’s enough to take in
then having everything took from them. Families started to live in public parks and shanty
towns. Desperate times caused for desperate measurements they had this saying “If a man
worked hard enough, he could take care of himself and his family no matter what but he has to
want it”. Poor children were severe. Grace Abbott, head of the Children’s Bureau, reported
twenty percent of nation’s school children had showed evidence of their poor nutrition’s,
housing, and medical care. Schools had gotten shut down for lack of money to pay teachers.
Estimate of 200,000 young men start to wander the streets and beg because of the poor food
conditions of their families. Local and state governments established institutions as in poor
housing and orphanage’s for destitutions individuals and families. Some countries also provided
food, fuel, and money to the poor residents. Those who were able to work were required to work
for the town and country. Men did the hard laboring such as chopping wood and maintaining the
roads. But most of all the poor dependent people not able to work: children, widows, and the
disabled. Cash relief to the poor was depended on prosperity taxes which was limited. General
prejudice exist against poor and local officials discriminated against individuals who were
applying for aid because of their race, nationality, and region. Single mothers found themselves
in situations where if they wanted to apply for relief, they were branded and unfitted by
the community if they worked they were criticized for neglecting their children. The U.S.
provide for primary and secondary education college education, unemployment disability
insurance, low wage workers, subsides for housing and nutrition assistance. They changed their
system at first they were taking care of everyone now the programs are just for the families that
really need support. It’s sad to say but whites received more welfare than blacks. While blacks
remained disproportionately poor. The history of welfare in the U.S. started long before the
government programs. They were called British Poor Laws these laws were made a distinction
between those who were unable to work, physical health, and those who were able-bodied. The
groups had been assisted with cash or alternatives forms of help.

U.S. welfare system stayed in

the hands of federal government for 60 years . Many families were unhappy with the system

because some people start to abuse the program by not applying for jobs, have more children,

and staying unmarried to get better opportunities. Over 100 countries have put the social

security/ welfare. Many of the social programs are existence. It is kind of difficult to fix limits to

a discussion of social welfare in the U.S. It’s primarily because welfare is an all-embracing

concept. Many people think it’s a good life for any and everybody that’s able to receive any of

the benefits. The history of public welfare has been one of the continuing change and growth

prior to the 1900’s.The nation became more industrial and the population became more

concentrated in urban areas. The need for public relief often grew beyond its meaning. Forty

states established relief for mothers with dependent children. Welfare is still being used for the

families, mothers, fathers, and children that needs it is not so much of being abused any more.

The basic shape of state federal public system is formed by the social security

act.