Legislation1935
Social Security Act Signed
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, creating a system of old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and welfare benefits. The act represented the most significant expansion of the federal government's role in providing for citizens' economic security.
Why It Matters
Social Security fundamentally changed the relationship between the American government and its citizens, establishing the principle that the nation has a responsibility to provide a basic safety net for its elderly and vulnerable populations.