History of Income Tax in the United States

The story of how the United States wound up with the income tax is the story of two wars, a Supreme Court justice on his death bed, and Donald Duck. It’s also the story of how the government overcame three obstacles. Obstacle No. 1 was Logistics — How do you make sure people pay? Obstacle No. 2 was The Constitution — In the 19th century, the income tax fell almost exclusively on the rich who, as it turns out, had some pretty good lawyers.

Obstacle No. 3 was The Love — Until World War II, the income tax was levied only on the rich. But wartime spending meant the government needed money, and ordinary folks are now asked to pay. The government needed Donald Duck. In a movie from 1943, Donald Duck marches around his house, listening to the radio and filling out his tax form. Occupation: actor. Dependents: three (Huey, Dewey and Louie). This wartime patriotic motivation campaign worked. Maybe we didn't love the income tax. But we paid it. [Copyright 2012 National Public Radio]

To learn more, read the NPR news story called “FromAbe Lincoln To Donald Duck: History Of The Income Tax” dated March 22, 2012.

Titanic Tragedy Remembered - 1912-2012

April 14, 2012, marks the centennial since the HMS Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in the Atlantic Ocean. Everything about the Titanic and its journey was big. Its biggest promise — one few stopped to question — was that it was an unsinkable ship.

On April 10, 1912, the Titanic left Southampton, England, to travel west across the Atlantic Ocean and reach New York City on the other side. It carried 2,435 passengers and 892 crew members. But arrogance on the part of the White Star Line and lax maritime safety regulations of the time, ensured most on board never reached the US. To add deck space, designers of the ship had a second row of lifeboats removed. That left only 20 lifeboats — not nearly enough for all who were on board.

When the ship struck an iceberg 600 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland and sank, its once awe-inspiring size and capacity became a hindrance. Women, children and some men were ushered into lifeboats that had no hope of holding every person on the ship. More than 1,700 people were still on the Titanic when it broke apart and slipped into the frigid North Atlantic. Anyone who fell into the water would have died within minutes because of hypothermia.

When the news reached Europe and North America — that the mammoth unsinkable ship had indeed sunk — the headlines in newspaper were big too. An estimated 700 people survived but more than 1,500 died. Titanic photographs still haunt 100 years after disaster.

How did the Titanic sink? According to an article in the National Post, experts who have advised both National Geographic and the History Channel for their 100-year anniversary documentary programs offer their views. The following represents the best estimations science and history can currently make as to what happened in the moments immediately before and after the Titanic disappeared beneath the surface.

As the world remembers the tragedy of the Titanic, CBC News looks back at some of the stories and legends of the doomed ocean liner. From the ship's comforts and luxuries to the personalities on board, there is no shortage of anecdotes and details about the Titanic. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has a permanent connection to the sinking of Titanic. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary, visitors can see many exhibits, programs and special events.