What change did the 16th Amendment bring to the U.S. Constitution?

• A. Authorized a federal income tax
• B. Abolished income tax
• C. Created the Federal Reserve
• D. Directed the Senate elections

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is the constitutional power to tax income. The 16th Amendment grants Congress the authority to lay and collect taxes on incomes from any source without apportioning them among the states. This change makes a federal income tax legal and creates a reliable, direct revenue source for the federal government, which helped fund expanding programs and reforms in the early 20th century.

Previously, income taxes ran into legal challenges under the idea that taxes had to be apportioned among states, which limited their use. By authorizing an income tax without apportionment, the amendment removed that barrier and established the basis for the modern tax system.

This amendment did not abolish the income tax, did not establish the Federal Reserve, and did not alter how Senate elections are conducted (that later change is associated with a different amendment).