Are your students wondering why some things cost more than they did in the past? Tariffs are like hidden price tags that shape what we buy, who benefits, and even how countries interact.
This “Tariff” article in Britannica Kids helps middle school and high school students uncover the mystery of tariffs. The article discusses different types of tariffs and unpacks the historical context of tariffs during the 20th century in America. The article also explains arguments for and against tariffs.
Two images accompany the explanatory text. One is a photograph of a container ship docked at a port. Container ships often carry goods from one country to another, and governments may collect tariffs when foreign products are brought into their countries. Another photograph shows Representative Willis C. Hawley and Senator Reed Smoot, sponsors in the US Congress of the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. A simplified version of the “Tariff” article is also available for younger students.
This interactive scenario designed by the Foundation for Teaching Economics demonstrates how tariffs affect global trade. In the simulation, students are citizens in Country X and Country O. They are given a random “basket” of Dum Dum Lollipops, which they trade with other students to get a more valuable “basket” by the end of the game. But to trade with people from Country X, citizens of Country O must pay the Tic-Tac-Toe Tariff, which requires playing a game of tic-tac-toe and visiting a customs officer for approval of their trading. Through the course of the simulation, students experience gains from trade and explore the impact of tariffs. A video explains the simulation and demonstrates it in action in the classroom.