The First Census Was When?

1790! Yes, the first census was completed in August 1790 to determine how many delegates each state would have in the House of Representatives.

Census 1790

• United States population was 3,929,625
• Black population 697,624 slaves; 59.557 free blacks
• Philadelphia is the largest city (42,000) New York is the second largest (33,000)
• Virginia was the most populated state with more than 820,000 people
• Almost half the population lived in southern states
• The country is youthful; 490 of every 1,000 whites is under the age of sixteen

We’ve come a long way, and we’re still growing and learning as a nation.

Have a wonderful day!