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Taxes Are Here to Stay

Taxes Are Here to Stay
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 7
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   6.82

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    bootleggers, earners, earning, excise, tariff, original, levy, illegal, alcoholic, federal, wage, colonial, whiskey, running, entire, tobacco
     content words:    United States, New England, Revolutionary War, Thomas Jefferson, Civil War, Benjamin Franklin

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Taxes Are Here to Stay
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     Taxes have been around almost as long as man. The United States has had some kind of tax or tariff since the first settlers arrived. Taxes are used to keep the government running smoothly. Sometimes the money raised is used in the area where you live. Sometimes it is used in the state or territory in which you live. Sometimes the money is used to help the entire country.
 
2     In colonial days, there was no central government. The colonies raised money by imposing a tariff. A tariff is a tax on goods that are brought into the country. These products are called imports. They also imposed taxes on certain products. These taxes were called excise taxes.
 
3     England was having trouble with its neighbors in Europe. In the 1760's, England decided to raise more money to support its wars by taxing the colonies. The English created excise taxes on stamps, tea, and other products they exported to the colonies.
 
4     The colonies were also taxing the people. The New England colonies taxed property and some occupations. The middle colonies had a tax on all adult males. The southern colonies raised money for their government by taxing imports and exports.

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