The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. [1] The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats (congressional apportionment), electoral votes, and government program funding. This is a complete list of congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives. United States congressional apportionment is the redistribution of the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives among the 50 states in consequence The Electoral College consists of 538 popularly elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice President of the United States. [2] Some states or local jurisdictions also conduct local censuses. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population
The census is performed by the United States Census Bureau. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790 under Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson; there have been 21 federal censuses since that time. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Secretary of State is a commonly used title for a Government Official. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence [2] The last national census was held in 2000, and the next census is scheduled for 2010. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. For the film see 2010 The Year We Make Contact. For the book see 2010 Odyssey Two.
Decennial U. S. Census figures are based on actual counts of persons dwelling in U. S. residential structures. They include citizens, non-citizen legal residents, non-citizen long-term visitors, and illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration refers to Immigration across National Borders in a way that violates the Immigration laws of the destination Country In recent censuses, estimates of uncounted housed, homeless, and migratory persons have been added to the directly reported figures.
For years between the decennial censuses, the Census Bureau issues estimates made using surveys and statistical models.
The practice of including non-citizens in the official census figures is highly controversial as the census is used for the apportionment between the states of seats in the House of Representatives, and derived from that, of electors to the Electoral College. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The Electoral College consists of 538 popularly elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice President of the United States. The Census also employs the practice of using hot deck imputation to assign data to housing units where occupation status is unknown. There is also an Imputation disambiguation page In Statistics, imputation is the substitution of some value for a Missing This practice has effects across many types of areas but is seen by some as controversial because it may increase representation for reliably Democratic districts. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. However, the practice was ruled constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in Utah v. Evans. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. Utah v Evans, 536 US 452 ( 2002) was a United States Supreme Court case regarding the use of certain statistical techniques in the census Groups like the Prison Policy Initiative assert that the census practice of counting prisoners as residents of prisons, not their pre-incarceration addresses, leads to misleading information about racial demographics and population numbers. [1]
Census data and questionnaires
The census records and data specific to individual respondents is not available to the public until 72 years after they were taken but detailed statistical data derived from the census is freely available contemporaneously. Every census up to 1930 is currently available to the public and can be viewed on microfilm released by the National Archives and Records Administration, the official keeper of old federal census records. Microforms are any form either films or paper containing microreproductions of documents for transmission storage reading and printing The United States National Archives and Records Administration ( NARA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government charged These census records are also available online from various sources such as Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.com, which have all released census records available for a subscription. The 1940 census will be available for public review in 2012. 2012 ( MMXII) will be a Leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
Data is available for all surviving census records, including recent records up to the 2000 census, for research purposes from IPUMS USA. IPUMS is an acronym for the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. Further, scanned copies of each of the decennial census questionnaires distributed in the United States from 1960 forward are available on-line from IPUMS International. IPUMS is an acronym for the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. [3]
The contemporaneous statistical data is available in various formats from the Bureau with one of the more popular formats being as layers formatted for the public-domain GIS tool, LandView. LandView is a Public domain GIS viewer designed to display United States Census Bureau, Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA and
History of the U. S. Census
Censuses had been taken prior to the Constitution's ratification; in the early 1600s, a census was taken in Virginia, and people were counted in nearly all of the British colonies that became the United States. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
Down through the years, the country's needs and interests became more complex. This meant that there had to be statistics to help people understand what was happening and have a basis for planning. The content of the decennial census changed accordingly. In 1810 the first inquiry on manufactures, quantity and value of products; in 1840 inquiries on fisheries were added, and in 1850, the census included inquiries on social issues, such as taxation, churches, pauperism and crime. The censuses also spread geographically, to new States and Territories added to the Union, as well as to other areas under U. S. sovereignty or jurisdiction. There were so many more inquiries of all kinds in the census of 1880 that almost a full decade was needed to publish all the results. In response to this from 1890 the census was mechanised with tabulating machines made by Herman Hollerith which reduced the processing time to two and a half years[4]. Herman Hollerith ( February 29, 1860 &ndash November 17, 1929) was a German-American statistician who developed a
For the first six censuses (1790-1840) enumerators recorded only the names of the heads of household and did a general demographic accounting of the remaining members of the household. Beginning in 1850, all members of the household were named by the enumerator. The first slave schedules were also done in 1850, with the second (and last) in 1860. Censuses of the late 19th century also included agricultural and industrial schedules to gauge the productivity of the nation's economy. Mortality schedules (taken between 1850 and 1880) captured a snapshot of life-spans and causes of death throughout the country.
The first nine censuses (1790-1870) were not managed by the Executive Branch, but by the Judicial Branch. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. The United States Federal Court districts assigned U. S. marshals, who hired assistant marshals to do the actual census-taking.
First Census of the United States (1790)
The first Census was taken August 2, 1790. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The federal census records for the first census are missing for five states: Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey and Virginia. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state They were destroyed some time between the time of the census-taking and 1830. The census estimated the population of the United States at 3,929,214.
Second Census of the United States (1800)
The second Census was taken August 4, 1800. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday.
Third Census of the United States (1810)
The third Census was taken August 6, 1810. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year
Fourth Census of the United States (1820)
The fourth Census was taken August 7, 1820. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1820 ( MDCCCXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year
Fifth Census of the United States (1830)
The fifth Census was taken June 1, 1830. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display
Sixth Census of the United States (1840)
The sixth Census was taken June 1, 1840. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1840 ( MDCCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The census estimated the population of the United States at 17,100,000. The results were tabulated by 28 clerks in the Bureau of the Census.
Seventh Census of the United States (1850)
The seventh Census was taken June 1, 1850. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link The 1850 census was a landmark year in American census-taking. It was the first year in which the census bureau attempted to count every member of every household, including women, children and slaves. Accordingly, the first slave schedules were produced in 1850. Prior to 1850, census records had only recorded the name of the head of the household and broad statistical accounting of other household members, (three children under age five, one woman between the age of 35 and 40, etc. ).
Eighth Census of the United States (1860)
The eighth Census estimated the population of the United States at 31,400,000. The results were tabulated by 184 clerks in the Bureau of the Census.
This was the first census where the American Indians officially were counted, but only those who had 'renounced tribal rules'. The figure for the nation was 40,000.
Tenth Census of the United States (1880)
The tenth Census estimated the population of the United States at 50,189,209.
This was the first census that permitted women to be enumerators.
Eleventh Census of the United States (1890)
The eleventh Census was taken June 1, 1890. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The 1890 census announced that the frontier region of the United States no longer existed and therefore the tracking of westward migration would no longer be tabulated in the census. This trend prompted Frederick Jackson Turner to develop his milestone Frontier Thesis. For other people of this same name see Frederick Jackson and Frederick Turner Frederick Jackson Turner ( November 14, 1861 The Frontier Thesis or Turner Thesis is the conclusion of Frederick Jackson Turner that the wellsprings of American exceptionalism and vitality have always
The 1890 census was the first to be compiled on a tabulating machine, developed by Herman Hollerith. See also Unit record equipment The tabulating machine was a machine designed to assist in Tabulations. Herman Hollerith ( February 29, 1860 &ndash November 17, 1929) was a German-American statistician who developed a This introduction of technology reduced the time taken to tabulate the census from seven years for the 1880 census to two and a half years for the 1890 census. The total population of 62,622,250 was announced after only six weeks of processing. Ironically, the public reaction to this tabulation was disbelief, as it was widely believed that the "right answer" was at least 75,000,000.
The logistical difficulties in compiling the census drove computing technology for the next fifty years until computers became widespread in industry. Computing is usually defined like the activity of using and developing Computer technology Computer hardware and software. IBM's first electronic computer was created primarily to deal with the needs of the census in addition to military and academic uses. International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking
This census is also notable for the fact it is one of only three for which the original data is no longer available. Almost all the population schedules were destroyed in a fire in 1921.
Fourteenth Census of the United States (1920)
The fourteenth Census estimated the population of the United States at 106,021,537.
This was the first census that recorded a population exceeding 100 million.
Fifteenth Census of the United States (1930)
The fifteenth Census was taken on April 2, 1930, except in Alaska Territory, where census-taking began October 1, 1929. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Alaska Territory was an incorporated territory of the United States from 1912 to 1959 Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Sixteenth Census of the United States (1940)
The sixteenth Census was taken on April 1, 1940. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Because of a 72-year privacy law, this census will not be available for public inspection until April 1, 2012. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2012 ( MMXII) will be a Leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
Seventeenth Census of the United States (1950)
The seventeenth Census was taken on April 1, 1950. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Because of a 72-year privacy law, this census will not be available for public inspection until April 1, 2022. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2022 ( MMXXII) will be a Common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar.
Eighteenth Census of the United States (1960)
The eighteenth Census was taken on April 1, 1960. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Because of a 72-year privacy law, this census will not be available for public inspection until April 1, 2032. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2032 ( MMXXXII) will be a Leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar Predicted events November
Nineteenth Census of the United States (1970)
The nineteenth Census was taken on April 1, 1970. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Because of a 72-year privacy law, this census will not be available for public inspection until April 1, 2042. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2042 ( MMXLII) will be a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.
Twentieth Census of the United States (1980)
The twentieth Census was taken on April 1, 1980. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Because of a 72-year privacy law, this census will not be available for public inspection until April 1, 2052. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2052 ( MMLII) will be a Leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar.
Twenty-first Census of the United States (1990)
The 21st Census was taken on April 1, 1990. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Because of a 72-year privacy law, this census will not be available for public inspection until April 1, 2062. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Notable predictions and known events 2061 Expected expiration of the Singapore-Malaysia Water Agreement.
Twenty-second Census of the United States (2000)
The 22nd Census took place on April 1, 2000. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Because of a 72-year privacy law, this census will not be available for public inspection until April 1, 2072. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Notable predictions and known events 2070 February - An Active SETI message called Teen Age Message sent from the 70-meter Eupatoria
Respondent confidentiality
The sole purpose of the censuses and surveys is to secure general statistical information. Replies are obtained from individuals and establishments only to enable the compilation of such general statistics. The confidentiality of these replies is very important. By law, no one — neither the census takers nor any other Census Bureau employee — is permitted to reveal identifiable information about any person, household, or business.
Without such protections, certain people living illegally in the United States or in any other way hiding from the government would be deterred from submitting census data.
Historical FBI abuses of census data
As with any large collection of personal data which can be traced back to individual persons, the potential for abuse of census data exists. During the period of 1939–1941, the FBI, using primarily census records, compiled the Custodial Detention index ("CDI") on citizens, "enemy" aliens and foreign nationals who might be dangerous, which later led to large-scale internment of Japanese-Americans. Custodial Detention Index ( CDI) was based on a massive list of US residents compiled by FBI during 1939-1941 in the frame of a program called variously "Custodial Japanese American internment refers to the forcible relocation and Internment of approximately 110000 Japanese nationals and Japanese Americans to housing [5][6]
Data analysis
Regions and divisions
The bureau recognizes four census regions within the United States, and further organizes them into nine divisions. The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. These regions are groupings of states that subdivide the United States for the presentation of data. They should not be construed as necessarily being thus grouped owing to any geographical, historical, or cultural bonds.
| US Census Regions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1: Northeast | Region 2: Midwest | Region 3: South | Region 4: West |
|
|
| |
Quantitative state rankings
In the last decade, the Census Bureau has begun to rank the states of the Union in qualitative terms based on their quantitative figures so that people can more easily understand the changing dynamics of the country. The Northeast is a region of the United States. As defined by the U The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the The Mid-Atlantic States (also called Middle Atlantic States or simply Mid Atlantic) form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that The East North Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States which are officially recognized by the United States Census Bureau The West North Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by that country's census bureau. The South Atlantic United States form one of the nine Census Bureau Divisions within the United States that are recognized by the United States Census Bureau The East South Central States constitute one of the nine Census Bureau Divisions of the United States. The West South Central States form one of the nine Census Bureau Divisions of the United States that are officially designated by the United States Census Bureau The Mountain States (also known as the Mountain West) form one of the nine geographic divisions of the United States that are officially recognized by the The Pacific States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by that country's Census bureau The goal of this effort is to stir up national pride and understanding along with governmental participation at the state and federal level.
See also
- United States Census Bureau, the federal agency tasked with implementing the Census
- IPUMS, a database providing statistical samples of census data
- Race (U.S. Census)
- HUD USER
- Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse
- Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) an area that includes adjacent communities to major cities. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census IPUMS is an acronym for the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. In 1978 the US Department of Housing and Urban Development 's (HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R established HUD USER an information source for housing and community The Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse (RBC collects processes assembles and disseminates information on existing barriers that inhibit the production and conservation of Affordable Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced
- Combined Statistical Area (CSA) an area that combines adjacents MSAs. Table of United States Combined Statistical AreasThe United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas.
- Micropolitan Statistical Area
- Census Designated Place (CDP) an area that is not part of an incorporated city but has an identity. Table of United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical Areas United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas (µSA where the initial Greek letter A census-designated place ( CDP) is a type of place (a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes
References
Notes
- ^ Constitution of the United States, Article 1, Section 2: "The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. "
- ^ a b Decennial Census. American FactFinder. Retrieved on 2008-24-02.
- ^ Homepage. IPUMS USA. Retrieved on December 17, 2005.
- ^ Martin Campbell-Kelly and William Aspray, "Computer a History of the Information Machine - Second Edition", Westview Press, pages 14-19 2004
- ^ Confirmed: The U.S. Census Bureau Gave Up Names of Japanese-Americans in WW II. Scientific American (2007-03-30). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet.
- ^ Papers show Census role in WWII camps. USA Today (2007-03-30). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet.
General references
- Anderson, Margo J. "Encyclopedia of the U. S. Census". Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2000. ISBN 1-56802-428-2.
- Campbell-Kelly, Martin, and Aspray, William. Computer: A History of the Information Machine. New York: Basic Books, 1996. ISBN 0-465-02990-6.
- Lavin, Michael R. "Understanding the Census: A Guide for Marketers, Planners, Grant Writers, and Other Data Users". Kenmore, N. Y. : Epoch Books, 1996. ISBN 0-89774-995-2.
External links
- U.S. Census Bureau: Official site
- Census 2000 gateway via Census Bureau
- Population Profile of the United States: 2000 via Census Bureau
- Population Profile Introductory slide show, in MS Powerpoint format via Census Bureau
- State and County QuickFacts, the most requested information via Census Bureau
- American FactFinder, for population, housing, economic, and geographic data via Census Bureau
- Census Bureau History, providing historical information about the Census Bureau and its activities
- Sources of U.S. Census Data, MIT Libraries (list of web resources useful to researchers)
- CensusScope: Data summaries, charts, maps, and graphs of U. Microsoft PowerPoint is a proprietary Presentation program developed by Microsoft. S. Census Data.
- U.S. Federal and State Census Mortality Schedules 1850-1880
- howstuffworks.com: How the Census works
- MLA Language Map from the Modern Language Association
- Works by U.S. Census of population and housing at Project Gutenberg
- Historical US Census Browser
- U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules 1850-1880
- Census: State and metropolitan area data in table/chart format
- The U.S. Census Bureau Gave Up Names of Japanese-Americans in WW II Scientific American 30 March 2007
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