Do You Know US Census History?

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Do You Know US Census History? - Quiz


Would you like to enhance your knowledge about US census history? Take this interesting quiz This quiz talks about what government paper entails: the United States counts its people's population, when the first US census performed, who collects the information, the number of states counted in the first census, and the most extensive census ever taken. This quiz will explain the history of the United States census. All the best.


Questions and Answers
  • 1. 

    What governing document requires the United States to take a census of the population?

    • A.

      Magna Carta

    • B.

      Bill of Rights

    • C.

      Emancipation Proclamation

    • D.

      Constitution

    • E.

      Mayflower Compact

    Correct Answer
    D. Constitution
    Explanation
    Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution requires the taking of the census.

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  • 2. 

    The first U.S. census was conducted on the first Monday of August, in what year?

    • A.

      1776

    • B.

      1790

    • C.

      1848

    • D.

      1902

    • E.

      1945

    Correct Answer
    B. 1790
    Explanation
    The first census was conducted in 1790, as required by the U.S. Constitution. Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution states that "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.”

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  • 3. 

    From the 1790 through 1870 censuses, who was responsible for visiting each household to collect census data?

    • A.

      Federal Judges

    • B.

      Customs Clerks

    • C.

      U.S. Marshals

    • D.

      Congressional Staff

    • E.

      Soldiers

    Correct Answer
    C. U.S. Marshals
    Explanation
    U.S. Marshals and their assistants collected census data by personally visiting each household in the United States. Marshals were replaced by specially trained supervisors and census enumerators for the 1880 and later censuses.

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  • 4. 

    Data from the U.S. census are used for apportioning the U.S. House of Representatives.  The nation's founding fathers also considered the census for what other activity?

    • A.

      Collecting taxes from states to repay war debt

    • B.

      Planning political campaign events

    • C.

      Locating military installations

    • D.

      Identifying cities to connect with canals

    • E.

      Map routes for roads

    Correct Answer
    A. Collecting taxes from states to repay war debt
    Explanation
    The nationwide population census, conducted every 10 years, originated with the founding fathers and the framework they established to create the government of the United States. Between May 25 and September 17, 1787, state delegates gathered in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation - the nation’s governing document since 1777. The topic of a nationwide census arose during debate about how to handle the debt incurred from the Revolutionary War. A census provided a way to allocate the debt among the states fairly. Additionally, the founding fathers wanted to establish a truly representative government that linked state population totals to the number of members in the House of Representatives. By counting people for both taxes and representation, they believed the census would be both accurate and fair. While states might inflate their population numbers to increase their representation in Congress, doing so also would increase the state’s tax burden.

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  • 5. 

    The First U.S Census was conducted on?

    • A.

      1820

    • B.

      1777

    • C.

      1920

    • D.

      1790

    Correct Answer
    D. 1790
    Explanation
    The correct answer is 1790. This was the year when the first U.S Census was conducted. The purpose of this census was to determine the population of the United States and gather demographic information about its residents. Conducting the census was an important step in understanding the country's population growth and distribution, as well as planning for future development and representation.

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  • 6. 

    The number of states counted in the first census was:

    • A.

      5

    • B.

      13

    • C.

      11

    • D.

      18

    Correct Answer
    B. 13
    Explanation
    The correct answer is 13 because the first census conducted in a country is usually used to count the number of states or regions within that country. In this case, the first census counted 13 states.

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  • 7. 

    The census was mailed to all homes in which year?

    • A.

      1928

    • B.

      1960

    • C.

      1920

    • D.

      1930

    Correct Answer
    B. 1960
  • 8. 

    In which year the U.S population surpassed 100 million?

    • A.

      1860

    • B.

      1920

    • C.

      1940

    • D.

      1930

    Correct Answer
    B. 1920
    Explanation
    In 1920, the U.S population surpassed 100 million. This means that by the year 1920, the number of people living in the United States had exceeded 100 million.

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  • Current Version
  • Nov 16, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Apr 16, 2009
    Quiz Created by
    Gauth001
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