Let’s go through each question one by one, using the reading passage to find the correct answers.
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Question 1: American colonists paid an American federal income tax.
Look at the first paragraph:
> “America was originally an income-tax-free country because there was not yet a federal government to impose one.”
Also:
> “Rather, early American colonists paid various taxes to the British government...”
So — no federal income tax existed back then. The U.S. didn’t even have a federal government yet! Colonists paid taxes to Britain, not to America.
✔ Answer:
false
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Question 2: The British government gave Congress the power to tax the general American public.
The passage says:
> “The Constitution gave Congress the power to tax the general public.”
That means it was the U.S. Constitution (after independence) that gave Congress this power — NOT the British government. In fact, the British were the ones taxing the colonists before the Revolution — and that’s what caused anger (like the Boston Tea Party).
✔ Answer:
false
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Question 3: An excise tax is a tax on goods and services.
From the text:
> “These consisted mainly of excise taxes: taxes on goods and services, such as alcohol and tobacco.”
This directly tells us that excise taxes are taxes on goods and services.
✔ Answer:
true
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Question 4: The first income tax in America was created to pay for the Civil War.
Check this part:
> “The first income tax... was created in 1861 as a way to pay for the Civil War.”
Yes — 1861 is when the Civil War started, and the tax was made specifically to fund it.
✔ Answer:
true
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Final Answer:
1. false
2. false
3. true
4. true
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of 9th grade reading comprehension exercises.
