Social Security Begins The "Great Depression" that began in 1929 destroyed the finances of millions of Americans. Up until that time, with the exception of war veterans, the U.S. government didn't provide old age pensions, health insurance, public assistance, unemployment insurance, or any form of medical assistance. The widespread suffering caused by the Depression caused citizens to ask what the government could do to provide financial relief. President Franklin D. Roosevelt responded by working for the passage of the Social Security Act of 1935. In that legislation, employers and employees were taxed for the purpose of providing old age pensions to workers who reached the age of sixty-five. The concepts behind Social Security were not new; other countries had devised and implemented similar benefits programs and/or socialized health services systems. The establishment of Social Security in this country, however, provided much-needed financial relief to many, many Americans suffering during the Great Depression. Over the decades, additional provisions have been added to provide expanded services, and today our citizens rely on Social Security as an integral part of their retirement income and old age medical insurance coverage.