Its 25 years since anti poll tax demonstrations swept across britain, culminating in violence in central london on the final day of march 1990. What did the poll tax for literacy tests do answers. French translation of poll tax collins englishfrench. Its immediate cause was the imposition of the unpopular poll tax of 81, which brought to a head the economic discontent that had been growing since the middle of the century. Plus, two decades ago, more than 100,000 people protest a controversial tax in london. How did poll taxes prevent blacks from voting answers.
Margaret thatcher equal rights amendment history of voting. The colonial roots of american taxation, 16071700 hoover. Not long ago, citizens in some states had to pay a fee to vote in a national election. That same year, the house passed the 24th amendment, outlawing the poll tax as a voting requirement in federal elections by a vote of 295 to 86. Estate tax and inheritance problems versus bir aimp how it is done duration. Walter buenger, a texas history professor at the university of texas at austin and chief historian at the texas state historical association, said at the time, the term poll tax wasnt. Please note that london poll books are an exception to this and instead have the classmark bc. From cambridge english corpus they were the land tax, poll tax, and house tax with the land tax providing the bulk of the revenue. The 24th amendment ended the poll tax january 23, 1964 imagine that you are finally old enough to vote in your first election. Nevertheless, the local property tax government, the attempt to replace the res continued to be a source of discontent idential property tax with a community within the conservative party. By the time england had its first taste, the country was already swarming with latterday wat tylers. Poll taxes have been part of recorded human history with ptolemaic egypt leaving the first records of these taxes. British medieval population by josiah cox russell university of new mexico press, 1948. The collection contains poll books dating from 1698 for a county election in essex, to the last known published poll book that held in cambridge for the constituency of the university of cambridge in 1882.
Poll books continued to be used for various elections until the secret ballot was introduced in 1872. The poll tax was abolished, and several serious issues such as freeing serfs were addressed. The poll tax article about the poll tax by the free dictionary. The green paper of 1986, paying for local government, produced by the department of the environment set out the proposed tax. Poll tax a poll or head tax is one imposed equally on all adults at the time of voting and is not affected by property ownership or income. Discover librarianselected research resources on poll tax from the questia online library. The gripping inside story of the biggest mass movement in british history, which at its peak involved over 17.
It provided for a single flatrate percapita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the local authority. The poll tax or community charge was supposed to make local council finance fairer and more accountable. Poll tax definition in the cambridge english dictionary. Akin to the aboveat any rate in its nature as a direct impostwas the poll or capitation tax. How socialists and the poll tax movement drove thatcher out. The head of household and owner of slaves also paid poll tax on slaves and native american servants of both sexes 16 years and older. A poll tax is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual.
In texas, registration books normally close at the end of this month, but the legislature anticipated. Lincolnshirewestmorland records of social and economic history vol. Poll taxes enacted in southern states between 1889 and 1910 had the effect of disenfranchising many blacks as well as poor whites, because payment of the tax was a prerequisite for voting. It is based on the idea that everyone pays the same amount of tax. Definition of poll tax from the collins english dictionary. Why did texas have a poll tax, and when did it end. Lessons from the british poll tax disaster peter smith abstract persuaded the central government to imas a means of financing british local plement reforms. Peasants revolt, 81, first great popular rebellion in english history. Six full years after the poll taxs demise, an estimated 4,000,000 people who declined to pay as much as. Although often associated with states of the former confederate states of america, poll taxes were also in place in some northern and western states, including california, connecticut, maine, massachusetts, minnesota, new hampshire, ohio, pennsylvania, vermont and wisconsin. History of the poll tax in illinois is an article from journal of the illinois state historical society 19081984, volume 12. Dec 30, 2016 then she and major, without apparently consulting patten, came up with an idea for allowing local councils to levy a higher poll tax than stipulated by central government, provided they first put.
The poll lists for 1846 is a very near approximation of the entire adult male population of the state, and as such it has the same authority as a reconstructed census. In the united kingdom, poll taxes were levied by the. Over 100,000 french translations of english words and phrases. Those that do are in city archives and county record offices. This quiz and corresponding worksheet gauge your understanding of what a poll tax is and the laws that eventually abolished its use in the united states of america. She had been in power for eleven years, winning three general elections, and yet was forced out before her term was over. Until 1832, most voters were freeholders and others who could meet property requirements for the franchise, and poll books list only those who actually cast a vote. Poll taxes in the colonies, and subsequently in the states, werent always linked directly to voting. In addition, the librarys collection also contains guides, handbooks and reference works for using poll books for historical research. The largest protest occurred in central london on saturday 31 march 1990, shortly before the tax was due to come into force in england and wales. In 2015, islamic terrorists attack a college in kenya. Financial pressure at the close of edward iiis reign 77 led to the adoption of a tax of fourpence per head on all persons in the kingdom mendicants and persons under fourteen years being excepted. Deemed to fall disproportionately on the poorer elements of the community, the poll tax was temporarily abolished in 1645. The history of the poll tax in virginia indicates that this was a calculated effect.
Consequently, these collections have been assimilated into the same classification scheme as those for english poll books. Of the poll taxes in english history, the most famous was the one levied in 80, a main cause of the peasants revolt of 81, led by wat tyler. The poll tax was imposed again in 1692, and one final time in 1698 the last poll tax in england until the 20th century. Margaret thatcher, the so called iron lady, resigned as british tory prime minister on november 22, 1990.
May 17, 2001 the poll tax records of 77, 79 and 81 form a massive resource about individuals, their occupations, and their relationships, and therefore provide an intriguing and detailed picture of late fourteenthcentury england. The government revived the poll tax between 1660 and 1698, but few records still exist. The poll tax has been used intermittently in european countries such as britain, prussia, and russia since the middle ages. How similar were the poll taxes of richard ii of england and. Poll taxes were often used in us history to keep the poor and minorities from voting. Buy poll tax rebellion by danny burns, marie simmons, mark simmons isbn.
The right of citizens of the united states to vote in any primary or other election for president or vice president, for electors for president or vice president, or for senator or representative in congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the united states or any state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax. Poll tax definition, a capitation tax, the payment of which is sometimes a prerequisite to exercise the right of suffrage. History book the gremlin and a poll tax world radio blog. Second, there was the poll tax, the requirement that voters pay for the right to vote, usually much in advance. This is an extract from some work that i have doing with jac st john, with assistance from the special branch files project and via this project, journalist solomon hughes. The english poll taxes of 77, 79, and 81 taxed householders, wives, dependants, and servants individually. Operation of poll tax in iowa is an article from publications of the american statistical association, volume 6. A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable. A history of the poll tax in america taxgirl tax news. History of the poll tax in illinois internet archive. Poll tax simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The gripping inside story of the biggest mass movement in british history, which at its peak involved over 17 million people. Poll tax riots revisited in pictures gnm archive the.
Poll tax, in english history, a tax of a uniform amount levied on each individual, or head, a main cause of the peasants revolt 81, and, in u. By 1962, just five southern states had poll taxes on the books. For many years, this had been done by use of a rating system based on the theoretical rental value of houses, calculated by a formula wh. The poll tax was used in the south during and after reconstruction as a means of circumventing the 14th amendment and denying civil rights to black s. Head taxes were important sources of revenue for many governments from ancient times until the 19th century. Poll tax article about poll tax by the free dictionary. View more articles from journal of the illinois state historical society 19081984. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone. List of books and articles about poll tax online research. The electoral roll in england fell almost 85,000 in 1989, having risen more than 200,000 annually for much of the preceding decade. In turkey, in the fifteenth century, the jews were subject to a light poll tax, payable only by males over twelve years of age.
Poll tax rebellion sage journals sage publications. Poll tax resistance as a key chapter in the history of british popular uprisings. Websters new world college dictionary, 4th edition. Instead it triggered civil disobedience and riots and. Peasants revolt, also called wat tylers rebellion, 81, first great popular rebellion in english history. Alabama, arkansas, mississippi, texas, and virginia. Using a combination of photos, text, and graphics, and drawing from the voices of activists and nonpayers, it describes the everyday organization of local anti poll tax groups and chronicles the demonstrations and riots leading up to the battle of trafalgar. Records exist for different taxes levied throughout english history. In the last few years of margaret thatchers reign as british prime minister, she received heavy opposition and mass riots were held when she tried to have poll tax used as the tax system. Poll tax definition and meaning collins english dictionary. List of books and articles about poll tax online research library.
From these groups and independent streams of immigration, and from people already settled in the former province, texas had an aggregate population in 1846 of just under 150,000. The poll tax was a fixed tax per adult resident, although there was a reduction for poorer people, for the services provided in their community. Jul 01, 2001 the gripping inside story of the biggest mass movement in british history, which at its peak involved over 17 million people. A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual. Although no longer a significant source of revenue for any major country, the poll tax did provide large sums for many governments until well into the 1800s. Mar 18, 2016 recalling an era when the color of your skin meant you paid to vote celebrating the 50th anniversary of a ruling that made the poll tax unconstitutional. A poll tax is a tax assessed on an individual, usually as a condition of voting in an election. By the 1690s, the phrase poll tax translated to head tax. But first, 50 years ago this week, a small american automaker goes fendertofender with foreign imports. Poll book collections institute of historical research. Although poll taxes are technically revenue measures, their enactment can have political implications. Poll tax definition is a tax of a fixed amount per person levied on adults and often linked to the right to vote. French translation of poll tax the official collins englishfrench dictionary online. Large numbers of nominal returns survive and all receipts and assessments for the three 14th century poll taxes have been published fenwick.
This explains the history and existing records of early english taxes. Poll tax meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. For election day, a history of the poll tax in america. For the 30th anniversary of the poll tax rebellion, simon hannah looks back on. The earliest ones are from around 1700 and they continued until 1872 when the secret ballot was introduced. After the civil war in the south, poll tax laws were created in order to prevent freed slaves from voting, as they did not have much money. The 24th amendment ended the poll tax americas library. While all poll books record the name of the voter, some also record other information such as occupation andor address. The community charge, better known as the poll tax, was introduced by the thatcher government as an ideological reform of local council rates, which led. A political history of the poll tax in virginia, 19001950. Jun 24, 2018 explore ruthhoras board britain the poll tax riots on. Impact of poll tax has waned in last 40 years the new. The main part of the twentyfourth amendment reads as follows. The community charge, commonly known as the poll tax, was a system of taxation introduced.
In the united states, the poll tax has been connected with voting rights. History page, history books, history class, history facts, world trade center. This gripping book recounts the british governments greatest domestic policy disasters of modem times, perhaps of the century. The community charge, commonly known as the poll tax, was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of domestic rates in scotland from 1989, prior to its introduction in england and wales from 1990.
Poll tax, in english history, a tax of a uniform amount levied on each individual, or head. The poll tax riots were a series of riots in british towns and cities during protests against the community charge, introduced by the conservative government of prime minister margaret thatcher. Accordingly, the virginia legislature authorized a poll tax on caucasian males 16 and older. It releases a competitive subcompact carand succeedsat least for a time. Several countries utilized poll taxes throughout history, though they have. A poll tax, also known as head tax, soul tax, or capitation tax, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable that individual, rather than on income or property.
The tax has long been attacked as being an unfair burden upon those less able to pay. The socalled poll tax was an attempt to reform funding for local government in the uk. The poll tax records of 77, 79 and 81 form a massive resource about individuals, their occupations, and their relationships, and therefore provide an intriguing and detailed picture of late fourteenthcentury england. View more articles from publications of the american statistical association. Thatchers government was defeated by a mass movement of civil diso. A poll tax was an amount of money that a person was forced to pay in order to vote. Using a combination of photos, text, and graphics, and drawing from the voices of activists and nonpayers, it describes the everyday organization of local anti poll tax groups and chronicles the demonstrations and riots leading up to the battle of.
The tax records therefore provide information about people who are rarely, if ever, mentioned in other documents frequently including details of occupations and relationships. This book tells the gripping inside story of the biggest mass movement in british history, which at its peak involved over 17 million people. Even as poll taxes were confirmed in the courts, they were losing popularity. The poll tax was imposed again by william iii and mary ii in 1689 1 will. The word poll came from low german meaning head and was extended to mean individual. It was not until 15 that a further poll tax was levied for which some returns survive.
A poll tax would be a tax you paid for the privilege of voting. Like the english poll tax, the french capitation tax was assessed on rank for taxation. Poll books list who voted at elections and who they voted for. With an appendix containing, the suffolk poll tax lists for that year after a careful perusal of these and a search through the more likely classes of mss. The library contains significantly smaller holdings for ireland, scotland, and wales.
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