Of the thirteen American Colonies before our War for Independence, eight were established for business. New Hampshire, New Jersey, Virginia, Delaware, North Carolina and South Carolina were founded for agricultural ventures and New York for trade. Georgia was originally set up as a place where debtors could start anew and so it could serve as a buffer between Spanish Florida and the Carolinas but quickly adopted the Carolinian business model. The remaining five were established for religious freedom in one form or another including: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. But even these colonies rapidly became economic powerhouses, providing such valuable commodities as furs, lumber, copper, ships, maple syrup, whale products, fish, livestock products, and my personal favorites, whiskey and beer. From north to south, the American colonies were thriving with capitalist ventures. But of course, with money come the coveters; the green-eyed monsters committed to stealing from…
COMMENTARY: Taxes in America – A Historical Perspective
