Which of the following best describes orphaned children in the 1800s?
a. most orphaned children in the 1800s lived in foster homes supported by the taxpayers.
b. orphaned children in the 1800s were forced to live on the streets, and many died from starvation.
c. orphaned children led very difficult lives and usually lived in orphanages run by religious groups.
d. many orphaned children were adopted, and there wasn't a great need for orphanages until the 1900s.

The correct answer is B. Orphaned children in the 1800's were forced to live on the streets, and many died from starvation. As many as 30,000 children were homeless in New York City from the ages of six to eighteen. They lived a tough life on the streets or in the slums and either had no parents or were neglected. This what helped bring about the Orphan Train, which brought children from New York City to different states, Canada and Mexico to work for money in farms and to be introduced to a family life.