Legal Definitions - Sixteenth Amendment

The Sixteenth Amendment is a change to the United States Constitution that was ratified in 1913. It gives Congress the power to tax people's income.

For example, if you work and earn money, the government can take a portion of your income as taxes. This money is used to pay for things like schools, roads, and the military.

The Sixteenth Amendment was created because the government needed more money to pay for things like World War I and the Great Depression. By allowing Congress to tax income, the government could collect more money from people who were making a lot of money.