West Virginia's industries and resources, then and now

Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Coal and gas, 1950 and today

   Map 1, "Coal in 1950" (1950): 127,000 coal miners worked in the state. By the early 1950s a machine called the continuous miner did the main steps of mining in one operation, so far fewer workers were needed. In the 1950s and 1960s many people left the coalfields to find work elsewhere. Map 2, "Energy today" (today): Coal is mined in 21 counties. In 2026 there were 9,589 underground miners and 2,093 surface miners. Production peaked at more than 180 million tons in 1997 and is now about half of what it was in 2008. West Virginia is the second-largest coal producer in the nation, after Wyoming, and the largest east of the Mississippi, with 41 percent of US coal exports. Its natural gas production ranks fifth in the nation, and its natural gas reserves rank third. Key: dots are counties where coal is mined; a flame is natural gas. Below the maps: These are dated facts about production and jobs, not a judgment about energy choices.

2. 1.

   In how many counties is coal mined today, by map 2, Ari asks?

   • 41 counties
   • 2 counties
   • 21 counties
   • 55 counties
3. 2.

   How many underground and surface miners worked in 2026, together, Bo asks?

   • 116,820
   • 11,682
   • 7,496
   • 9,589
4. 3.

   About how many fewer miners worked in 2026 than in 1950, Esme asks?

   • About 115,000 fewer
   • About 138,000 fewer
   • About 1,150 fewer
   • About 11,700 fewer
5. 4.

   Why did mining need fewer workers after 1950, by map 1, Jun asks?

   • The mines closed in 1951
   • The coal ran out in 1950
   • Gas replaced coal in 1950
   • Machines such as the continuous miner
6. 5.

   Which state produces more coal than West Virginia, Kira asks?

   • Pennsylvania
   • Ohio
   • Kentucky
   • Wyoming
7. 6.

   What share of US coal exports comes from West Virginia, Luz asks?

   • 4.1 percent
   • 41 percent
   • 59 percent
   • 21 percent
8. 7.

   How does natural gas production rank, by map 2, Milo asks?

   • Third in the nation
   • First in the nation
   • Fifth in the nation
   • Second in the nation
9. 8.

   When did coal production peak, by map 2, Noah asks?

   • 1997
   • 2026
   • 1950
   • 2008
10. 9.

    What changed between 1950 and today, by the maps, Pia asks?

    • Mining moved out of the state
    • Far fewer miners, though coal is still mined
    • More miners than ever before
    • No coal is mined anymore
11. 10.

    What did many people do in the 1950s and 1960s, by map 1, Ren asks?

    • Built new salt furnaces
    • Left the coalfields to find work
    • Moved into the coalfields
    • Opened the first glass plants