de their way of life and thought. However, even though it was moral to help other members of the community, aid was not given to African and Native Americans, as well as those who did not work. Those people were not worthy of support. The worthy included, white men who were working yet still could not support themselves, widows, elderly, children, and eventually the mentally ill. The uniqueness of this period is that as long as one was worthy to receive aid, there was of nothing to be ashamed. No one looked down on them, because it was considered part of the natural course of life. The clear distinction between worthy and unworthy in early America had emer!
             During the eighteenth centaury, conditions began to change, and a new wealthy class surfaced. The people in this wealthy class began to provide aid for those who needed it. Through support of religious groups, fraternal societies, and social organizations, the deprived were able to help themselves better their lives. This trend of group support continued to flourish well past the eighteenth century. Even though social welfare seemed to be prosperous during this time the ramifications of the Revolutionary War forced Americans to re-evaluate the poor laws they had been living by. Local communities that initially took the poor in began to look for communal towns to assist and provide for the needy. This ideal of state donation seemed quite appealing, and soon the parish no longer oversaw the control of donation, instead it was the responsibility of the newly created townships.
             In the south there was conflict regarding the separation of church, the control went to civic/county jurisdiction. It was this movement that forced the welfare state to become secular. That is not to say that the decisions making of the welfare system was not run on moral thinking, rather the decision-making was just controlled by government committees and offices instead of the church. In sp...