Name: _____________________________________________________________ Pd: ________
Use the attached graphs, charts, and political cartoon to answer the following questions.
1. Analyze the political cartoon. What effect(s) can you infer many business owners believe an
increase in minimum wage could have?
a. The increase wouldn’t do enough to help workers meet the rising cost of living
b. The minimum wage buys more than it used to
c. a higher minimum wage would force them to employ fewer workers.
d. All of the above
2. The most recent increase to the federal minimum wage occurred in
a. 2009
b. 2003
c. 1997
d. 1989
3. Which president signed into law the nation’s first federal minimum wage?
a. Richard M. Nixon
b. Ronald Regan
c. Lyndon B. Johnson
d. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Which is the only state with a minimum wage higher than $9?
a. Missouri
b. Washington
c. New York
d. California
5. What demographic group would be most affected by an change to the federal minimum
wage? Why?
6. The first federal minimum wage was 25 cents per hour. The minimum wage passed in 1963
was ______.
a. Half that rate
b. Double that rate
c. Three times that rate
d. Five times that rate
7. In 1990, the federal minimum wage ________.
a. Did not change
b. Jumped from $3.35 to $3.80
c. Jumped from $3.80 to $4.25
d. Was a quarter of what it is today
8. Since 1963, the most the federal minimum wage has increase at once is ______.
a. 55 cents
b. 70 cents
c. 85 cents
d. $1.00
9. Since 1963, the longest the federal minimum wage has gone without an increase is
________.
a. Four years
b. Five years
c. 10 years
d. 12 years
10. Do you think the federal minimum wage should be changed every year or so to keep up
with inflation? Why or why not? Based on the graph, do you think there have been times
when the federal government tried to do that?
11. Does it make sense to have a federal minimum wage? How would not having a minimum
wage help or hurt works and the economy?
Name: _____________________________________________________ PD: ________
Use all of the readings, audio files, and data reviewed to create a claim regarding minimum
wage. Then, support your claim with evidence from these various sources.
CLAIM: states your position on the issue you have chosen to write about
EVIDENCE: the facts or data you use to support your claim
EVIDENCE: the facts or data you use to support your claim
EVIDENCE: the facts or data you use to support your claim