graph
For use with the Debate on p. 22 of the magazine
Time for
a Raise?
M
ost Democrats in
Congress favor
minimum wage to $10.10 an
hour. Most Republicans think
that’s a bad idea (see Debate,
p. 22). It’s hardly the first time
the minimum wage has
prompted a national debate.
Even in 1938, when President
Franklin D. Roosevelt signed
the first minimum wage into
law, the measure drew both
$6.55
$6.00
$5.85
$5.15
$5.00
$4.75
$4.25
$4.00
$3.80
$3.35
$3.10
$2.90
$2.65
$3.00
$2.30
$2.10
$2.00
$2.00
$1.25
$1.40
$1.60
$1.00
cheers and jeers. Since then,
1996
1997
2007
2008
2009
been increased 22 times—each
1990
1991
1978
1979
1980
1981
1967
1968
1974
1975
1976
$0
the federal minimum wage has
1963
Uses: copy machine, opaque projector, or transparency master for overhead projector. Scholastic Inc. grants teacher-subscribers to The New York Times Upfront permission to reproduce this Skills Sheet for use in their classrooms. ©2015 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.
increasing the federal
$7.25
$7.00
YEAR
time sparking controversy.
The step graph above shows the changes to the federal minimum wage that have taken place since
1963. Look at the vertical line above each labeled year to see how much the wage jumped that year.
analyze the graph
1. T he first federal
2. In 1983, the
3. S ince 1963, the
4. H
ow many times
5. A
minimum wage
minimum wage
federal minimum
longest the
has the federal
increase to $10.10
was 25 cents per
wage ___.
federal minimum
minimum wage
would __.
hour. The
wage has gone
been increased
minimum wage
a did not change
without an
since 1995?
in 1963 was ___.
b jumped by
increase is about
30 cents
a half that rate
___.
c jumped by
b double that rate
15 cents
c three times that
d was half of
rate
d five times that
what it is today
a be a larger
increase than any
a four times
b five times
a three years
c six times
b five years
d seven times
c 10 years
on the graph
b set a wage that is
more than triple
the 1979 wage
c set a wage that is
d 14 years
double the 1997
rate
wage
d all of the above
discussion questions
1. T he wages shown on the graph represent actual dollars paid. How do you think today’s federal minimum wage would
compare with wages of the past if the values were adjusted for inflation? Why?
2. D
o you think increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10 would help or hurt the U.S. economy? Explain.
3. S hould the federal minimum wage 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?
4. S hould the U.S. consider having a lower minimum wage for teens than for adult workers? Why or why not?
ja n ua ry 1 2, 20 1 5 • up f r o nt m aga z in e .co m • 1 1
Source: u.s. department of labor
FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE (RATE PER HOUR)
$8.00