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In 1784 Pitt the Younger introduced a tax on men’s hats to raise government revenue. The government believed the tax would be equitable as the rich would have a large number of expensive hats, whereas the poor might have one cheap hat or none at all. Ladies hats were exempt from the tax. The hat…

                The East India Company (EIC) was a British joint-stock company formed in 1600 to pursue trade with the East Indies (Southeast Asia). The company ended up mainly trading with China and seizing control of the Indian subcontinent. The company traded in basic commodities such as cotton, silk,…

   The Stamp Act of 1712 imposed a stamp tax on United Kingdom publishers. The tax was levied on all publishing including newspapers, pamphlets, legal documents, commercial bills, advertisements, and other papers. The tax was initially assessed at one penny per whole newspaper sheet, a halfpenny for a half sheet, and one shilling per advertisement.…

   Wallpaper is a material used to cover and decorate the interior walls of homes and other buildings. It is usually sold in rolls and at its most rudimentary is just plain lining paper that is painted or used to help cover uneven surfaces and minor wall defects. Of course, the majority of hung wallpaper…

         Soaps are derivatives of fatty acids and have traditionally been made from triglycerides, oils and fats. The earliest record of soap manufacturing was 200 BC in ancient Babylon. Soaps are used for washing, bathing, cleaning, and lubricating greases.  The core ingredient of soaps includes tallow (which is rendered beef fat), palm…

A pension fund (also known as a retirement fund or superannuation fund) is any plan, fund, or scheme which provides retirement income. The Romans started the first pension scheme in 13 B.C. when Roman Emperor Augustus began paying pensions to Roman Legionnaires who had served 20 years. These armed forces pensions were financed at first…

A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games. Playing cards are typically palm-sized for convenient handling and were first invented in China during the Tang dynasty in 900 AD. Although…

A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, fat, tallow or another flammable solid substance. They have been used throughout history for light, heat, fragrance, aesthetic value and sometimes to tell the time. The earliest candles originated in Han China around 200 BC and were made from whale fat. By the 13th century, candle…