The chart shows wage earnings of manufacturing workers from 1940 to 1960.
The chart shows a dramatic rise in wages during this
time period. Which of the following factors contributed to
the increase in wages?
Weekly Earnings of Manufacturing Workers,
1940-1960 (1967 = 100)
Year
Index of Real
Index of Weekly Earnings
Weekly Earnings (adjusted for inflation)
21.9
53.1
O Corporations shared their profits with union workers.
Industries continued to manufacture war materials
due to the Korean War.
O Women left the workforce to run households.
O Americans fulfilled pent-up desires to buy
manufactured goods after World War II.
1940
1945
38.6
72.8
1950
51.6
72.8
1955
66.4
84.3
1960
78.1
89.5