INVESTIGATE:
Historians agree that Social Security is at the heart of New Deal reform. Given that, what does Social Security tell us about the set of policies and programs called the New Deal? (Read each source below, then answer the questions in the notebook. Ask your teacher for an inquiry organizer worksheet to help you think about the ways that the sources support and contradict each other.)READ: A Monthly Check to You!
Head Note: The Social Security Act of 1935 started a national old-age pension for workers who earned wages. This meant that at age 65 these workers could retire and receive monthly payments from the government. To pay for this program, workers and employers each paid a tax of 1 percent on the first $3,000 that a worker earned in a year. The Social Security Board distributed this poster in 1936 and 1937 to publicize this new program.
USE THE NOTEBOOK (instructions):
Vocabulary
These definitions should help with reading comprehension.
- eligible: someone who meets requirements for this program
Social Security Act
Listen to Historian Mike O'Malley discuss the substance of the Social Security Act.