Caring for the Urban Poor
As the new nation grew, cities began to appear on the eastern seaboard. The immigrants who arrived regularly often had difficulty finding jobs, and a large population of displaced poor began to emerge. People who were interested in
those who were less fortunate sought avenues for meeting their needs. Attaching the poor to subsistence-level employment usually was the goal, but concern arose over meeting their basic needs until they could derive income through employment. While almshouses often were used to care for the chronic poor, outdoor relief was increasingly accepted as a suitable way to care for the poor.