History of Dis/Ability Response - Essay Example

The fifth stage is the Reawakening, and this falls between 1950 and 1980. The Independent Living Movement, is the sixth stage, dating from 1970 to present. Finally, the Self Advocacy Movement that dates from 1980 to present is the seventh stage. All these stages provide important insight into the history of developmental disabilities. In the Ancient Era, the first recorded case of disability in the form of mental retardation was in 1552 B.C. However, no major documentations of disabilities were done, due to lack of historians in this era.

In the Middle Ages, the concept of God influenced how people perceived disabilities. For instance, Roman Catholic Church offered refuge for the disabled through establishing hospitals, orphanages, and homes. Additionally, idiot cages were developed to protect people with disabilities. Family and foster care for people with disabilities also root in this era. With the onset of renaissance at this stage, there was a better understanding of disabilities due to advancements in healthcare. With regard to poverty, between 1563 and 1601, the Parliament in England passed different laws that prompted the government to take care of the poor, including people with disabilities.

In the 17th and 18th Centuries, there lacked a clear understanding of the situation of people with disabilities. However, philosophy and science played a significant role in the understanding of human nature and physical world. The idiot cages persisted in this stage. However, universities put in efforts to study the treatment of disabilities. In the stage of The Rise of Institutions between 1800 and 1950, people with disabilities experienced harsh living conditions, and most were put in poorhouses.

However, in the early 19th Century, people became interested in understanding disabilities, and this was incorporated into social practice by 1850. There also arose social reformers such