I want to see proof it was actually ratified. Little tough to believe we would do that to ourselves
Especially since a 3% tax on tea was enough to make you angry.
I have heard arguments about that, which are fairly persuasive. However, the income tax was primarily sold as a 'tax the rich' scheme. The first $20k of "income" wasn't taxed at all. In a time when an automobile cost much less than $1k, that was a lot of money.
Next time you have to do your taxes, you can download the original 1913 tax forms here: here. The entire thing is a 4-page PDF, including instructions. Even with the insane cumulative inflation we've had since that time, you'll be surprised at how low your tax bill would be.