Digitized Collections Digitized Collections 1790 – 2000 Frank Wilmot Government Publications Library December 13, 2006
Can sticking gravel up your nose really cause idiocy? Assigned causes of idiocy
History and Background: New nation needed a census to Apportion the House of Representatives
History and Background: New nation needed a census to Figure out how much each state owed for the war
History and Background: Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. 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.
Census Bureau – Progress 1790 – 1870: U.S. marshalls and assistants 1880 – 1900: Census Office within U.S. Dept. of Interior 1902: Congress authorized the President to create a permanent Census Office
Census Bureau – Progress 1903: Transferred to the new Dept. of Commerce and Labor 1913: Dept. of Commerce and Labor split into two; Census went with Commerce
First Census – 1790
Subsequent Censuses Added in 1810 Manufactures
Subsequent Censuses Added in 1840 Agriculture Mining Fisheries
Subsequent Censuses Other social issued added in 1850 Taxes Churches
Subsequent Censuses Other social issued added in 1850 Pauperism Crime
Subsequent Censuses Spread geographically
Subsequent Censuses Spread geographically
Subsequent Censuses Spread geographically
Subsequent Censuses 1880 and 1890 Took almost a decade to compile and publish reports
Subsequent Censuses 1880: 22 Volumes, Compendium, etc. 1890: 15 Volumes, some with multiple parts 1910: 10 Volumes
Subsequent Censuses Dropped topics reappear in later censuses Technology Process data faster Publish faster
Census Programs Population: 1790 to present
Census Programs Housing: 1940 to present
Census Programs Agriculture
Census Programs Manufactures & Mining
Census Programs Business
Census Programs Construction
Census Programs Governments
Census Programs
Indexes Bureau of the Census catalog of publications,
Indexes Bureau of the Census catalog of publications, Libraries…….30, 33, 40, 45, 57, 1656
Indexes NINTH DECENNIAL CENSUS: … 45 Vol. I. The statistics of the population of the United States, embracing the tables of race, nationality, sex, selected ages, and occupations. To which are added the statistics of school attendance and illiteracy, of schools, libraries, newspapers and periodicals, churches, pauperism and crime, and of areas, families, and dwellings… xlix, 804p. 46…
Digitized Collection Census Bureau Website – Publications
Indexes Bureau of the Census catalog of publications, Census Catalog and Guide ( in print; online; 1999 CD-ROM)Census Catalog and Guide Catalog of Government Publications (1976-present online)Catalog of Government Publications
Digitized Collection Government Publications Library Census Guide