West Virginia's industries and resources, then and now
Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
The economy today and the state's money
Map 1, "Land and jobs" (2024 to 2026): 12.5 million acres of timberland cover 79 percent of the state. There were 22,787 farms in 2024, growing hay, apples, corn and soybeans. Steel is made in the Northern Panhandle and Huntington, and chemical plants remain in the Ohio and Kanawha valleys. Tourism draws visitors to 36 state parks, eight state forests, ski areas and whitewater rafting. In September 2026 there were 717,400 non-farm jobs: 618,900 in services and 98,500 in goods-producing work, including 19,600 in mining and logging. (In 1950 there were 127,000 coal miners.) Map 2, "Where the state's general revenue comes from" (fiscal year 2025): Personal income tax: 38.53 percent. Sales and use tax: 33.00 percent. Severance tax, paid by companies that take coal, gas and other resources from the ground: 7.95 percent. Corporation net income tax: 6.82 percent. Other taxes and sources make up the rest. Key: a tree is timberland; a tent is a state park; a dollar sign is a tax. Below the maps: The numbers are dated: jobs from September 2026 (e-WV), revenue from fiscal year 2025 (Tax Commissioner, October 2025).
Which tax brings in the largest share of general revenue, Ari asks?
- Personal income tax
- Corporation net income tax
- Sales and use tax
- Severance tax
What share do the two largest taxes bring in together, Bo asks?
- 38.53 percent
- 46.48 percent
- 5.53 percent
- 71.53 percent
What is a severance tax, by map 2, Esme asks?
- A tax on company profits
- A tax on things people buy
- A tax on the wages and salaries people earn
- A tax on taking resources from the ground
About what share of non-farm jobs are in services, Jun asks?
- About 86 percent
- About 14 percent
- About 62 percent
- About 8.6 percent
How many more service jobs than goods-producing jobs were there, Kira asks?
- 618,900
- 717,400
- 520,400
- 52,040
What share of the state is timberland, by map 1, Luz asks?
- 79 percent
- 38 percent
- 21 percent
- 12.5 percent
In 2026, 19,600 people worked in mining and logging. How does that compare with 1950, Milo asks?
- It counts farm jobs too
- A larger number than in 1950
- A much smaller number
- About the same as in 1950
Where is steel made today, by map 1, Noah asks?
- Harpers Ferry
- Kanawha Salines, Wellsburg and the coalfields
- The 36 state parks
- The Northern Panhandle and Huntington
Which claim is careful, by the maps, Pia asks?
- Services hold most non-farm jobs
- Severance tax is the largest source
- Mining holds most jobs today
- The state has no farms
Why are the job and tax numbers dated, Tala asks?
- Old numbers are easier to print
- Dates make the numbers larger
- Such numbers change from year to year
- They stay the same forever