Saving money for a rainy day. Piggy banks loaded with pennies. Preserving the summer harvest to eat in the long, cold months of winter. There is something innately human about our need for security–to have something on hand just in case. The Social Security Act of 1935 was born out of just such a need, when America was in crisis. Although travelers to the New World had wanted to escape from Europe and its traditions, the Social Security Act is modeled on a system that had its roots in Europe. Why did the Act come into being, what did it entail and how has it changed are all questions this paper will attempt to address.