History of Social Welfare and Domestic Policy Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the history of Jewish charity customs, early English poor laws, key historical figures, social movements, and presidential domestic welfare policies based on the study guide.

Tzedakah

A Jewish charity concept rooted in biblical teachings that encouraged giving to those in need so they could become self-sufficient.

Church (in early England)

The primary entity and source of assistance for the poor in early England, largely based on Christian charity and religious responsibility.

Elizabethan Poor Laws

Laws that established the parish as the basic unit responsible for helping the poor, created poor relief funded by local taxation, distinguished between deserving and undeserving poor, and encouraged able-bodied people to work.

Settlement Act of 1662

Legislation that strengthened early residency requirements by allowing communities to determine whether someone had a right to receive poor relief based on their place of residence.

Dorothea Dix

An advocate who highlighted terrible conditions in jails, almshouses, and institutions, and lobbied state governments for federal intervention and better treatment of people with mental illness.

Judeo-Christian roots of social welfare

Behaviors emphasizing charity, helping the poor, caring for widows and orphans, helping vulnerable people, compassion, and personal responsibility to help others.

Social Security Act of 1935

A major turning point program that set a precedent for federal involvement in human services and social welfare.

Protestant work ethic

A belief system emphasizing hard work, self-reliance, individual responsibility, discipline, and avoiding dependence, which influenced American social welfare and contributed to distinguishing between the deserving and undeserving poor.

Social Gospel

A movement based on the idea to help society because it is the right thing to do.

Social Darwinism

A theory holding that the strongest succeed and that the government should not interfere.

Charity Organization Societies (COS)

Organizations created to organize charity and investigate individuals.

Settlement Houses

Organizations where workers live and work in the community to improve conditions.

Social Casework Agencies

Agencies oriented toward helping the individual or family.

Civil Rights movement

A movement focused on fighting racial discrimination and demanding equality.

Herbert Hoover

President who initially believed the federal government should have a limited role in directly assisting individuals, supporting economic stimulation and loans but opposing direct federal relief during the Depression.

Barack Obama

President whose domestic policies included the Affordable Care Act (ACA/Obamacare), expanding Medicaid eligibility in participating states, establishing consumer protections for health insurance, and economic recovery efforts following the Great Recession.

Lyndon B. Johnson

President whose Great Society initiative expanded federal social welfare programs through the War on Poverty, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamp expansion, Head Start, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and civil rights legislation.

Richard Nixon

President whose social welfare policies included creating Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in 1972 and proposing the Family Assistance Plan (FAP).

Donald Trump

President whose domestic policies included the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, efforts to reduce federal regulations, changes to immigration policy, and attempts to reduce or restructure some federal social programs.