1861 - MORRILL TARIFF - Raises duties from pre-Civil War lows. General rate rises from 5% to 10%.

1862-1869 - Revisions of Morrill Tariff boost average rates to 47%.

1870 - TARIFF OF 1870 - places 130 articles, mostly raw materials, on the "free" list. Small reductions in rates for other commodities.

1872 - Reduces rates on manufactured goods by 10%.

1875 - 1872 reductions repealed.

1883 - Lowers rates 5%.

1890 - MCKINLEY TARIFF

a. Raises average rate to 49.5%.

b. Provides for reciprocal raising of duties to meet commercial discrimination by other nations.

c. Sugar placed on the free list. In compensation, a bounty of 26 cents/lb is given to American producers.

1894 - WILSON-GORMAN TARIFF

a. Wool, copper, and lumber on the free list.

b. Average rate lowered to 39.9%.

c. Sugar bounty is removed.

d. Income tax imposed to compensate for lost revenues (Soon declared unconstitutional.)

1897 - DINGLEY TARIFF

a. Average rate raised to 57%.

b. Wool and other raw materials removed from the free list.

1909 - PAYNE-ALDRICH TARIFF

a. Lowers average rate to 38%.

b. Raises some specific rates.

1913 - UNDERWOOD TARIFF

a. Average rate dropped to 30%

b. Iron, steel, raw wool, and sugar placed on the free list.

c. Income tax imposed to compensate for lost revenues.

1921 - Emergency tariff raises rates on most agricultural products.

1922 - FORDNEY-MCCUMBER TARIFF

a. Broad general increases in rates.

b. 25% increase on manufactured goods.

c. High duties on farm products.

d. Upon recommendation of the Tariff Commission, President authorized to alter rates for products of individual foreign countries. Rates may be so altered no more than 50% more or less than Congress establishes.

1930 - HAWLEY-SMOOT TARIFF

a. Highest overall tariff in American History.

b. Agricultural raw material taxed at 49%.

c. Special protection to sugar and textiles.

1934 - TRADE AGREEMENTS ACT

a. Keeps existing rates in place.

b. Authorizes President to enter into agreements (without requiring Congressional approval) with individual countries to reduce specific duties by as much as 50%.

c. By 1951, U.S. signs agreements with 53 nations, and conducts more than 80% of its trade with them.

d. By 1951, average tariff rates were down to less than 15%.

1947 - GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT)

a. Agreement among 28 nations to settle tariff rates among themselves by negotiation.

b. Countries now meet regularly in "rounds" of negotiations to settle tariff issues.