The Social Security Act (1935)
Name
Institution of affiliation
Date
The Social Security Act (1935)
Question 1
The Social Security Act was enacted in 1935. The purpose of the act was to provide a means to provide financial assistance to underprivileged and at-risk individuals in the US. The Act was a key piece of the New Deal legislation under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of the law in Steward Machine Company v. Davis, (1937) and Helvering v. Davis, (1937).
Question 2
The Act was in response to the problems occasioned by the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the late 1800s and early 1900s. This led to a mismatch in available housing for workers. Thus, workers were forced to live in squalid conditions.