Billy Kavalos

SLM 521

Jona French

 

Web Drop-In 3

 

Introduction – 10th Grade Social Studies

 

As we continue our unit on our nation’s economy, we are going to look at some of the factors that are used to determine the health of our economy.  We have been constantly hearing about the downturn in the economy over the last couple years.   Some standards that economists use to measure economic health are unemployment rates, equity markets, and the state of the nation’s budget. 

 

Some important terms to understand before completing this assignment are listed below.  Please select the links, which will take you to www.investorwords.com and allow you to read the definitions of the terms, along with some other information. 

 

·  Unemployment Rate

·  Equity Markets

·  Budget Surplus

·  Budget Deficit

 

 

 

Information

 

Once you have read and understand the terms above, visit http://www.legalhardware.com/economics/charts.htm.  This site has four charts, which change when the mouse pointer is placed on them, making a total of eight different charts.  Please review the four charts on the page and then point to each individual chart to review the second set of charts.

 

 

Assignment

 

Use the charts from the website provided to answer the following questions.  

 

  1. Since 1989, which President has been in office at the peak of the unemployment rate?  Which year was this?
  2. In the year 2001, was there a budget surplus or deficit?  Approximately what value was it?
  3. During George Bush, Jr.’s Presidency, approximately what value was the stock market at its lowest point?
  4. The projections for unemployment rate show that by 2009 the rate will exceed what percent?
  5. From the year 2004 to 2009, approximately how many jobs are forecast to be lost?

 

Please answer all the questions in your answer booklets, to be turned in next class.