What gives the U.S. government the right to collect taxes?

The U.S. government derives its authority to collect taxes from the Constitution, specifically Article I, Section 8, which grants Congress the power to lay and collect taxes to provide for the common defense and general welfare. Additionally, the Sixteenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, specifically allows Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states. This legal framework supports the government's ability to generate revenue for public services and infrastructure.