The Rise of the Income Tax

The cost of that Spanish-American War, the last fewer than four months, does mean that the federal government wants to find newer sources of revenue. The Progressive Era is one of those moments that gives us a lot of amendments to the Constitution. You get the 16th Amendment, which allows for the income tax. you get the 17th Amendment,. which is direct election to senators and women voting. It's one of those moment where there is a lot of energy around reform.