The first U.S Census was conducted in 1790. The census categorized the population of the new nation according to liberty, sex, and age: free white males age 16 and older, free white males under age 16, free white females, all other free people, and slaves.
Below is the 1790 Census:
The first U.S. Census was conducted in 1790. The census categorized the population of the new nation according to liberty, sex, and age: free white males age 16 and older, free white males under age 16, free white females, all other free people, and slaves.
Part 1. Vocabulary. Write a sentence with each of the following new vocabulary words.
black Adjective
person of African descent.
census Noun
program of a nation, state, or another region that counts the population and usually gives its characteristics, such as age and gender.
enslaved person Noun
person who is owned by another person or group of people.
free state Noun
nation or country that outlaws slavery.
population Noun
total number of people or organisms in a particular area.
populous Adjective
containing a large number of inhabitants.
slave state Noun
nation or country where slavery is legal.
U.S. Census Noun
count of everyone in the U.S., conducted every 10 years.
Part 2. Questions. Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
- According to U.S. Census data, what were the three most populous states in 1790?
- What were the three most populous categories listed in the 1790 Census?
- Which states had more than 100,000 slaves?
- Which states had the fewest number of slaves?
- Which state had the fewest “free white females”?
- What percentage of Georgia’s total population was enslaved in 1790?
- What percentage of Maine’s total population was “free white females”?
- What is the difference between the number of states with a greater population of “free white males 16 years and up” and “free white males under 16 years”?
- What percentage of New York’s total population consisted of “free white males”?
- What do you think “all other free persons” meant to Census-takers in 1790?
Part 3. Chart. Draw a bar graph with the x axis as the districts and the y axis being the population numbers. You must include at least 5 districts in the x axis and two data points for the y axis.
