During the Great Depression, many Americans faced poverty and unemployment. President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the New Deal to help Americans recover economically. One of its key programmes was the Social Security Act of 1935, which aimed to provide financial security for the elderly, unemployed, and disadvantaged.

Source A: Excerpt from the Social Security Act (1935)

'To provide for the general welfare by establishing a system of Federal Old-Age Benefits and Unemployment Insurance.'

This legislation marked a significant change in American social policy, aiming to reduce poverty and provide a safety net for vulnerable groups.

The Social Security Act included several important features:

• Retirement pensions for the elderly
• Unemployment insurance
• Aid to families with dependent children
• Support for disabled individuals

Source B: Summary of Social Security Benefits

'The Act established a system of retirement pensions, unemployment insurance, and aid to dependent children and the disabled.'

Social Security was a landmark in American social policy. It helped millions of Americans during the Great Depression and beyond, shaping future welfare policies.

Source C: Historian's View

'Social Security marked a fundamental shift in the American approach to social welfare, establishing a federal responsibility to support vulnerable populations.'