Tax

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/tax

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the earliest recorded taxation?Ancient Egypt, approximately 3000–2800 BC
2. What is the primary function of taxes?To support government spending and public expenditures
3. Why do we pay taxes?Taxes give the government money to build and keep things we need, like parks, hospitals, and roads. They also help make sure everyone has a fair chance.
4. What can taxes be used for?Taxes help pay for things like national defense, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and the courts that keep us safe and fair.

Public Goods: Services or goods that are non-excludable and non-rivalrous, benefiting all members of society.
Negative Externalities: Costs imposed on third parties not directly involved in an economic transaction, often addressed by taxes.
Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS): Tax planning strategies used by multinational enterprises to exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules.
Fiscal Multiplier: The concept that government spending can have a magnified effect on overall economic activity.