The Census' Constitutional Origins: Who Proposed It First?

The United States Census, conducted once every 10 years, is mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution. The first US census was conducted in 1790, during the first term of President George Washington, with Thomas Jefferson as the Secretary of State. The census was proposed by the founders in 1787, who decided to apportion seats in the new House of Representatives among the states according to their respective numbers. The census was a fundamental new instrument of republican government, marking a turning point in world history.

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The first US census was in 1790, led by Thomas Jefferson

The United States Constitution, specifically Article I, Section 2, mandates that a census be carried out every 10 years. The first US census was conducted in 1790, during the first term of the country's first president, George Washington. It was led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, with the population counted being 3,929,625.

The census was conducted to apportion 105 seats across 15 states, with the results used to determine representation in Congress. This marked a significant shift in the purpose of censuses, which had previously been used mainly for taxation, confiscation of property, or conscription into the military. The US was the first country to use a regular population count to apportion political power, a bold and ambitious plan to empower the people over their government.

The first census was a simple count of the population, categorised into six groups: the name of the household head, the number of free white males under 16, the number of free white males 16 and over, the number of free white females, the number of free coloured people, and the number of slaves. This count took 18 months to complete, and while President George Washington thought the count was too low, it was deemed credible enough for apportionment.

Since the first census in 1790, the US Census has evolved to collect more detailed data. For example, in 1810, the first inquiry on manufactures, quantity, and value of products was included, and in 1840, inquiries on fisheries were added. The US Census is now conducted by the US Census Bureau, which is part of the US Department of Commerce.

The US Constitution mandates a census every 10 years

The US Constitution, specifically Article I, Section 2, mandates that a census be carried out every 10 years. This census, known as the decennial census, serves the original legal purpose of apportionment, which is the process of dividing the seats in the House of Representatives among the 50 states based on population figures. The first census was conducted in 1790, during the first term of President George Washington, with a population count of 3,929,625. This census was led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, and the results were used to allocate 105 seats across 15 states.

The inclusion of questions beyond a simple headcount in the decennial census has been deemed constitutional by the courts. As early as 1870, the Supreme Court affirmed the power of Congress to mandate both an enumeration and the collection of additional statistics. The Legal Tender Cases, Tex.1870; 12 Wall., U.S., 457, 536, 20 L.Ed. 287, established this precedent. Furthermore, in United States v. in 1901, a District Court asserted that the Constitution's census clause (Art. 1, Sec. 2, Clause 3) does not solely pertain to a headcount but also encompasses the collection of other necessary and proper statistics.

The US Constitution empowers Congress to conduct the census in the manner they deem appropriate, as stated in Article I, Section 2. This provision reflects the founders' ambitious plan to empower the people over their new government. The census counts every person in the United States, and this count is then utilised to determine representation in Congress. This innovation marked a pivotal moment in world history, as it transformed a tool of government into an instrument of political empowerment for the governed.

The history of the census in the United States dates back to the early 17th century, even before the Constitution's ratification. Censuses were conducted in Virginia and almost all of the British colonies that would eventually form the United States. The first "actual enumeration" was carried out separately in each state between 1781 and 1786, with the results compiled by John Kean for the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The census has evolved over time, with the content of the decennial census adapting to meet the country's evolving needs and interests.

The census is used to apportion House of Representatives seats

The United States Census is a population count mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which occurs every 10 years. The first census was conducted in 1790 under Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, and there have been 24 federal censuses since. The U.S. Census Bureau is responsible for conducting the census.

The Constitutional basis for conducting the decennial census is to reapportion the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. Constitution empowers Congress to carry out the census in "such manner as they shall by Law direct". The Constitution mandates that an apportionment of representatives among the states must be carried out every 10 years.

The current method used for apportionment is the Method of Equal Proportions, which was adopted by Congress in 1941 following the 1940 census. This method assigns seats in the House of Representatives according to a "priority" value. The priority value is determined by multiplying the population of a state by a "multiplier". Each of the 50 states is given one seat, and the next seat goes to the state with the highest priority value, continuing until all 435 seats have been assigned.

The census has been the subject of controversy and legal challenges, particularly regarding the inclusion of certain groups in the count and the use of sampling techniques to achieve more accurate data.

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The census has evolved from a headcount to over 200 surveys

The US census is mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which states:

> Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States... according to their respective Numbers... . 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.

The first census after the American Revolution was conducted in 1790 under Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. This first census only classified Americans by age, sex, and race.

Since then, the census has evolved from a simple headcount to over 200 different surveys. The number of inquiries has expanded over time, gaining accuracy and detail. The content of the decennial census has changed as the country's needs and interests became more complex. As people and policy planners needed a more detailed idea of the economic and demographic characteristics of the US, the census expanded to cover these areas.

In 1810, the census was expanded to obtain information on manufacturing and manufactured products. In 1840, questions on agriculture, mining, and fisheries were added. The 1850 census was the first to collect social data, including inquiries on taxation, churches, pauperism, and crime. The latter half of the 20th century saw the introduction of three important demographic surveys that continue today: the Current Population Survey, the Survey of Income and Program Participation, and the American Housing Survey. These surveys are conducted more frequently and are more detailed, allowing them to use statistical sampling to present regular detailed information about the nation's population. The economic census was eventually separated from the decennial census in 1902, and it is now taken every five years.

The census has faced controversies and legal challenges

The US Census is legally mandated by the Constitution and has been carried out every 10 years since 1790. The census was first proposed by the founders of the United States, who wanted to empower the people over their new government. The census counts every person living in the country and uses that count to determine representation in Congress.

Controversies and Legal Challenges

• Undercounting of certain racial groups: In 1970, the Census Bureau estimated that over 6% of African Americans went uncounted, while only about 2% of European Americans did. Black voters were particularly undercounted in 1990, when 1.6% of the population went uncounted.
• Counting incarcerated people at their place of incarceration: Groups like the Prison Policy Initiative argue that this leads to misleading information about racial demographics and population numbers, and creates a disproportionate impact for communities who rely on the figures for post-incarceration reasons.
• Excluding certain Americans living overseas: Only Americans living abroad who are federal employees (military and civilian) and their dependents are counted. Private citizens who are not affiliated with the federal government are not included in the counts.
• Trump administration's policies on illegal immigration: The 2020 census drew a number of controversies and legal challenges due to President Donald Trump's policies on illegal immigration, particularly those undocumented in the country. Trump issued a memo instructing the Commerce Department to use estimates of undocumented immigrants and subtract their numbers from the totals.
• Data unavailability: In 2025, many databases from the U.S. Census Bureau became unavailable to the public, with users receiving a "`forbidden` error message. It was unclear if this was due to a technical issue or as part of changes under the Trump administration.
• Suppression of information about slavery: In the 1850s, census planners suppressed information about slavery due to pressure from Southern lawmakers.
• Role in Japanese-American internment: During World War II, information on the residences of Japanese American citizens was provided to the U.S. Secret Service, which was later used to facilitate the internment of Japanese Americans.
• Denying women the designation of "head of household": This controversy was identified by the Anti-Defamation League.

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