Florida Civics Literacy (FCLE) Practice Exam

The establishment of federal taxation of income was made possible by the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1913. This amendment explicitly granted Congress the authority to impose a federal income tax without apportioning it among the states based on population or prohibiting it based on the Census.

The other options refer to powers and roles that were established under the original Constitution, rather than through amendments. The President's authority to declare war is rooted in the Constitution as one of the President's powers, although the actual declaration of war requires Congressional approval. The House's role in impeaching officials is also defined in the Constitution, detailing the processes and responsibilities regarding impeachments. Finally, the Senate's power to ratify treaties is similarly established in the original document, where it is designated as one of the Senate's functions. Thus, the only choice that clearly resulted from an amendment to the Constitution is the federal taxation of income due to the specific and formal change that the Sixteenth Amendment represents.