The Origin and History of Inheritance Taxation in the United States

The inheritance tax is one of the most important sources of revenue in the United States. It is imposed by the Federal Government and also by the States. This form of taxation has excited much discussion in the press of the country, and in the law-making bodies of state and national government. Quite naturally, this has been directed to finding means by which multiple taxation might avoided and relief from unduly large impositions obtained.In this thesis, however, we shall not enter upon a discussion of the merits of the tax, but shall confine ourselves with a study of its historical development. This we shall do by considering the origin and nature of the tax, the extent to which it was employed by other nations before any American legislation on the subject was passed, Federal laws taxing inheritance, the landmark decisions of our courts, State laws, and laws of the Territories and Insular Possessions.