how did early USA fund itself before income taxes?

This country financed the federal government, wars, nation-building by stealing Native American land and selling it.

True fact.

This country tries to only acknowledge early sales taxes. You have to dig to learn that we finances our empire expansion by stealing Native American land and committing genocide. And slavery was a central economic reality but not quite related to taxation.

Not many Americans know that many parts of this country rewarded whites for Indian scalps or, in California, Indian heads. The Missions would lure Indians to the missions, ostensibly to convert and help them; these unfortunate victims were often enslaved. We don't hear much about the enslavement of Indians but it happened a lot. Missions were hellish for Indians and gold mines for the church and the local gentry who has always dominated human culture.

fuck this history. I'm tired of it. How about you.