Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Civil War Income Taxes, Narrated by Danny Werfel
Danny Werfel served as 50th Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is currently an Executive in Residence at the Johns Hopkins University School of Government and Policy. Werfel details how the Civil War spurred congressional Republicans to invent the income tax.
During the Civil War, the United States needed more money.
Congress created the first federal income tax.
- People paid taxes based on the money they earned.
- The government used the tax money to help pay for the war.
- Many leaders believed everyone should help support the country.
- Some newspapers said loyal Americans should pay the taxes.
- Congress wanted the tax system to be fair.
- People with higher incomes paid more taxes.
- People with lower incomes paid less taxes.
- Senator Justin Smith Morrill said taxes should match a person's ability to pay.
- The income tax helped the federal government during the Civil War.
- Today, income taxes continue to help pay for government programs and services.
POP Interview and Civics Quiz:
- N-400 Part 9:03. Do you currently owe any overdue Federal, state, or local taxes in the United States?
- USCIS 100:56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*
- USCIS 128:71. Why is it important to pay federal taxes?
Family Fun:
- Coloring Book Fun: 62 Money Coloring Pages (Free PDFs)
- icivics: People's Pie game
- IRS: Understanding Taxes (many lesson plans and resources)
- PBS: Justin Morrill: Land for Learning (land-grant universities)
- Justin Morril supported economic opportunity for American through his legislation and tax reform. His most notable contribution was the founding of public land-grant colleges in U.S. states, that focused on agriculture (fatming), engineering (mechanics), and mining.
- Personal Finance Lab : Taxation Lesson Plan
No comments:
Post a Comment