In the 19th century, how did the federal government primarily raise money?

• A. From income taxes on workers.
• B. From property taxes.
• C. From sales taxes.
• D. From tariffs (and excise taxes on specific products).

Answer: (D)

In the 19th century, the federal government relied mainly on tariffs and excise taxes to raise revenue. Tariffs—import duties—provided the bulk of federal funds because the country aimed to protect domestic industries and had limited use of income taxes for long stretches of that era. Excise taxes, which are taxes on specific goods like alcohol and tobacco, complemented tariff revenue.

Income taxes did exist briefly during the Civil War, but they were not a stable, ongoing source of federal funding and were effectively curtailed for much of the century until constitutional changes in 1913 allowed a federal income tax. Property taxes are collected by states and localities, not by the federal government, and sales taxes were not the principal federal tool at that time. So tariffs and excise taxes were the primary revenue source, which is why that option fits the period best.