Final answer:
The federal government increasingly assumed responsibility for people's well-being, particularly through social welfare programs starting with the New Deal and expanding over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The federal government became more responsible for people's well-being than ever before. This shift can be traced back to initiatives such as the New Deal programs, which provided jobs, payments, and food relief during the Great Depression.
Later, aspects like President Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" programs aimed at eliminating poverty, further underscored the federal role in social welfare.
The federal government also played a role in managing programs for Native Americans and implementing healthcare reforms like the Affordable Care Act.
Throughout the decades, this responsibility often shifted between various levels of government, with states sometimes gaining more authority, such as with the welfare reform bill of 1996, which gave states discretion over welfare provision.
The trend towards devolution meant that states began to inherit responsibilities traditionally managed at the federal level.
As the nation faced numerous socio-economic challenges and the standard of living increased, the federal government's involvement in ensuring a minimum standard of living grew, manifesting in expanded government programs and establishing a culture of entitlement among many Americans.