Road to the Poor House

The history of welfare in the state of New York drastically changed from its beginnings in the era of the English poor laws and almshouses to the welfare system we have today. The treatment of those in need consistently changed from the practices of auctioning off the poor, binding out, and outdoor relief. These practices faded as a result of the Quincy and Yates Reports, which transformed traditions of Elizabethan poor relief into the age of the poorhouse system.

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