Almshouses historically served which group?

• A. Military veterans.
• B. Poor, elderly, or sick people who had no one to care for them.
• C. Middle-class professionals.
• D. Immigrant laborers.

Answer: (B)

Almshouses were a form of charitable housing designed to provide shelter and basic care for people who could not support themselves, especially the poor, the elderly, or the sick, and who had no family or other someone to care for them. They arose in medieval times and were funded by endowments, churches, or guilds, functioning as a way to offer a life of modest welfare to those without kin or community support. That’s why the group described—poor, elderly, or sick individuals with no one to care for them—is the best fit. While veterans, middle-class professionals, or immigrant laborers might need housing at times, almshouses were specifically aimed at those lacking family caretakers and with limited means.