Alex+A

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=Notes:=

Rome:
During the latter years of the empire farming was done on large estates called latifundia Latufundias were owned by wealthy men who used slave labor A farmer who had to pay workmen could not produce goods as cheaply. Many farmers could not compete with these low prices and lost or sold their farms. At one time, the emperor was importing grain to feed more than 100,000 people in Rome alone. The Romans attempted a policy of unrestricted trade but this led to working class Romans being unable to compete with foreign trade. a major cause was slavery, which made it harder for paid workers to find jobs. This is one reason why so many young men joined the army.

Today:

 * In April 2010, the unemployment rate was 9.9 percent, or 15.3 million people.
 * Only in 1982 and 1983 was the unemployment rate higher than 2009's annual rate of 9.3 percent (since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began compiling statistics from the Current Population Survey).
 * Of those unemployed, 45.9 percent had been out of work for over 26 weeks, officially putting them in the ranks of the long-term unemployed.
 * Unemployment lasting six months or longer is higher than any year since 1946; this and other statistics suggest the current recession differs fundamentally from those of the 1980s and 1990s. In 2009, permanent job loss was the highest ever in the 43 years since reasons for unemployment have been tracked.
 * Men had especially high unemployment rates in 2009. Unemployment increased 119 percent between 2007 and 2009. Unemployment for women during that period increased 81 percent. (Construction and manufacturing jobs were particularly hard hit.)
 * In April 2010, the unemployment rate for whites was 9.0 percent; for blacks, 16.5 percent; and for Hispanics, 12.5 percent.
 * Young workers, who have the highest unemployment rate of all; among those aged 16 to 19, it's 25%.

=**Source to contact: **=

John Winters, University of Cincinnati Department of Economics

=**Questions for Contact: **= What starts the chain reaction that ends in companies cutting jobs? Would setting the minimum wage lower in a state be enough to lower unemployment rates?

=Email to Source:= Dear Mr. Winters,

My name is Alex Azeez and I go to Nagel Middl School in Cincinnati, Ohio. In social studies we are currently doing a project on solving the ancient Roman Empire's problems using modern day knowledge. I found your email on the University of Cincinnati's wbsite and noticed Labor Economics under your research interests. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions I have about unemployment:

What starts the chain reaction that ends in companies cutting jobs?

What education level of people do you most commonly see unemployed?

What are some groups that help people find jobs?

Do people usually lose their job to lack of productivity, or because of financial reasons on the companies behalf?

What jobs have been hit the hardest (lost most workers)? Which ones are safest (lost the least)?

I appreciate any answers or help you could provide. I understand if you do not wish or have time to help. If so, I am sorry to waste your time.

Sincerely,

Alex Azeez

I did not recieve any response.

Bibliography:
. "Basic Facts on Unemployment." . N.p., 06 0. Web. 3 Feb 2012. [].

Colvin, G.. //unemployment facts we//. N.p., 2011. Web. 3 Feb 2012. [].

. Frank E. Smitha,. "Fall of the Roman Empire." //Rome.info//. Partnerships for sustainable development, 2009. Web. 31 Jan 2012. [].

Goodman, P.. "The New York Times." . N.p., 02/2. Web. 9 Feb 2012. [].

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Leonhardt, D.. "Unemployment." //The new york times//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb 2012. [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb 2012.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"Reasons why the Roman Empire Fell." //The roman empire//. Copyright Roman Colosseum.info © 2008, n.d. Web. 2 Feb 2012. []

Strieber, N.. "The 10 Best Jobs of 2011." //Carrercast//. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb 2012. [].

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Final Project: = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">.