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Cooking oil -

Cooking oil was taxed in ancient Egypt. The pharaohs owned the production, so recycling of cooking oil was strictly forbidden—you just had to buy some more! Oh, and did we mention that tax evasion would get you flogged or killed?

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Urine -

Urine was pretty valuable in ancient Rome. Romans would use it for a number of processes, including tanning, wool cleaning, and teeth whitening. So if you used a public toilet, there would often be a urine collector working onsite.

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Cowards -

If English knights refused to fight in a particular campaign, they would pay a "coward tax" known as scutage. Paying this coward tax would basically allow knights to skip military service.

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Beards -

In 1698, Russia’s Peter the Great introduced a beard tax. Peter wanted Russia to keep up with Western Europe's trend of cleaner shaves.

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Beards -

Tax dodgers could be shaved by the police if caught! And those who had paid the tax would get a copper token (pictured) to prove their beard was legal.

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Salt -

Back in the mid-14th century, the French thought it would be a good idea to tax salt. Known as the gabelle, the unpopular tax is said to have contributed to the French Revolution.

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Soap -

The English tax on soap was introduced in 1712 and lasted 141 years! The soap tax turned soap into a luxury item, with lower classes completely priced out of using it.

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Bachelors -

Ancient Rome emperor Augustus would tax unmarried men aged 38 years or older with a bachelor tax. Childless marriages and celibacy were also forbidden under Augustus' rule.

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Bachelors -

Many years later, in 1695, it was time for the English parliament to tax bachelors over 25 and any childless widowers.

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Small families -

The Soviet Union took things a step further from 1941 to 1990. Not only did the government tax bachelors and single people in general, but they also taxed small families.

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Wig powder -

If you wanted your wig to look and smell nice by applying wig powder, you'd have to pay tax on it. The Duty on Hair Powder Act was introduced in Great Britain in 1795.

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Being Chinese -

In 1885, Chinese people were taxed with a fee when they entered Canada. The Chinese Head Tax was introduced to discourage immigration from China, and it was not abolished until 1923.

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Royalists -

Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the British Isles as Lord Protector from 1653 to 1658, was not fond of Royalists, so he thought it would be a good idea to tax his enemies.

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Clocks -

Not only did the Duties on Clocks and Watches Act 1797 require tax to be paid on owning such items, but dealers also had to pay an annual fee. Though the tax had such a negative impact that it was repealed in 1798.

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Candles -

British candlemakers were required to pay a new tax in 1709. The law also forbade regular citizens from producing them at home. The tax was repealed in 1831.

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Bagels -

If you buy a bagel in New York and it's prepped in the shop (i.e. sliced and prepared), you can expect to pay a tax on it. The more you know!

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Candy -

This doesn't really come as a surprise, but what the criteria used in Illinois to define what candy is might. If the product contains flour, then it's taxed as a regular food item, which is taxed at a lower percentage.

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B***** -

The b***** tax, also known as Mulakkaram, was imposed on lower caste women by the Kingdom of Tranvancore (today's Kerala state of India) in the 19th century. These women were not allowed to wear upper garments, so if they covered their b****** they'd pay a tax on it.

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Having a smoke -

No, we're not talking about cigs being subject to taxes. Instead, it's quite the opposite! The Hubei province of China introduced a fine for those who didn't indulge. This was a way to boost tax revenue and consequently the economy.

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Hats -

In Great Britain, men's hats started to get taxed in 1784. How much tax you would pay depended on the type and value of the hat.

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Cereal toys -

In Canada, cereal makers get a tax break if they include toys in their cereal! As long, that is, as the toys don't qualify as "beer, liquor, or wine."

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Playing cards -

In 1935, Alabama introduced a 10% tax on packs of playing cards. The tax wasn't repelled until 2015. The British also taxed playing cards, back in 1710.

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Wallpaper -

In 1712, England taxed printed, patterned, or painted wallpaper. The way around it was to hang plain wallpaper and then have it stenciled by hand. The tax was abolished in 1836.

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Dice, newspapers, and other items -

Britain’s American colonists saw the Stamp Act of 1765  being introduced and taxing things such as dice, playing cards, and newspapers. The bill triggered huge protests, and was eventually repealed the following year.

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Bricks -

Introduced in 1784, the English tax on bricks lasted until 1850. This led to businesses going bankrupt and more timber being used as an alternative.

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Fireplaces and chimneys -

Introduced in England in 1662, the hearth tax led to people closing their chimneys to avoid being caught using their fireplace. It goes without saying that it led to a number of tragedies. The goal of this bill? To support the Royal Household of King Charles II.

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Windows -

Back in 1696, the more windows you had, the more your had to pay in taxes. So what did poorer British homeowners do? They bricked up their windows to avoid tax. This unfortunately had severe health repercussions in the population. Nonetheless, the tax was not repealed until 1851.

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Cows -

The European Union has been trying to cap greenhouse gas emissions, and one of the culprits is cow gas. As a result, many countries are taxing cattle. Denmark leads the ranking, with each cow costing up to US$110 in taxes.

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Explicit businesses -

In Utah, business owners who employ "n*** or partially n*** individuals" must pay a 10% tax on the provided services.

Sources: (Mental Floss) (HistoryExtra) (CNBC) (U.S. News & World Report) (Family Tree Magazine) (ScoopWhoop)

See also: Bizarre marriage and divorce laws from around the world

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