2010 Census

In March, the 2010 Census will be mailed to every household in the United States in an effort to count every man, woman, and child. This selection of resources provides information on the 2010 Census, lessons and activities that use census data, and historical information on the federal census.

Night lights of North America as seen from space. (Photograph courtesy of NASA. More about the photograph)

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• Letters home: Students will write letters home, taking on the role of one of the sons of the "Gold Star Mothers" from Union County, NC.
• The African American experience in NC after Reconstruction: The documents included in this lesson come from The North Carolina Experience collection of Documenting the American South and specifically focus on African Americans and race relations in the early 20th century. The lesson juxtaposes accounts that relate to both the positive improvements of black society and arguments against advancement. Combined, these primary sources and the accompanying lesson plan could be used as a Document Based Question (DBQ) in an AP US history course.
• North Carolina women and the Progressive Movement: In this lesson, students read primary source documents from Documenting the American South specifically related to North Carolina women involved in reform movements characteristic of the Progressive era. For the most part, these documents detail women's work in education-related reform and describe the creation of schools for women in the state. They also demonstrate that, as was true in the rest of the nation, the progressive, female reformers of N.C. were segregated based on race and socio-economic status.

Related topics

• Learn more about American history, census, current events, population, and social studies.

Legal

The federal government is gearing up for the 2010 Census with a media campaign to make sure that the nation is aware of the importance of citizen participation in the census. But why is it important? What should students know about the federal census? LEARN NC has created this set of resources to educate students about the history of the census, the information that can be gleaned from previous censuses, and why answering the questions can make a difference to them and their families.

Census history

United States Historical Census Browser

While teaching students about the 2010 Census, it is interesting to see data from previous United States censuses. This site offers an easy way to sift through census data by state or county from 1790 to 1960 and data can be viewed as text or graphically. Categories to examine include general population, education and literacy, economy and employment, ethnicity/race/place of birth, agriculture, and slave population. You can also generate interactive maps of the data.

History of the Census

Since 1790, a federal census has been taken every ten years. The U.S. Census Bureau has devoted a section of their website to explain the history of the census, including lesson plans and teaching aids for use in the classroom. Highlights include maps showing the growth and density of cities throughout time and state maps from the 2000 census.

The Census over time

LEARN NC’s North Carolina Digital History Textbook looks at the decennial census and North Carolina.

Distribution of land and slaves

The tables on this page present census data about farm size and the distribution of slaves in North Carolina from 1790 to 1860. Students are guided through the process of analyzing the data to come to an understanding of how geography affected the way a person (white or black) living in 1860 might have experienced slavery.

Occupations in 1860

Beginning in 1840, census takers asked people their occupations. This page features lists showing the occupations that free North Carolinians reported in the Census of 1860.

The growth of cities in North Carolina

After the Civil War, more factories were built and immigration increased. The maps on this page use census data to show North Carolina cities with populations of at least 2,500 in 1860, 1880, and 1910. A table compares North Carolina’s growth to its region and the United States, while another shows rural, urban, and nonwhite population of North Carolina counties in 1900.

Migration into and out of North Carolina: Exploring census data

Looking at the population figures from the first half of the nineteenth century can give us a sense of the scale of migration into and out of North Carolina. This page uses maps, tables, and questions to help students understand factors affecting migration.

Languages and nationalities

This page shows the diversity of languages spoken in North Carolina using statistics from the 2000 Census and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. For a historical perspective, we’ve included a list of countries of origin of people living in North Carolina in 1850.

Mapping a changing North Carolina

This activity teaches students how certain facts about North Carolina’s population have changed over time and how they vary geographically. Using a series of maps drawn from data found in the U.S. Census for 1970, 1980, and 1990, students use critical thinking skills to answer questions about trends in income, urban population, poverty, levels of education, Latino immigration, and new residents in North Carolina’s counties.

2010 Census websites

United States Census 2010

This U.S. government website informs the American public about the upcoming 2010 Census. A sample form with questions is available on the site. Check out the “Census in Schools” section which includes lesson plans, teaching kits, and additional resources to use in the classroom. There are separate pages for kids and teens with activities and quizzes to see how much they know about the Census. Teens will learn the importance of the Census and why it should matter to them. There is even a page that has a graph showing the “Average Earnings in Relationship to Education Attainment” to encourage teens to stay in school and get a college education.

All Things Census

The Pew Research Center has created a new website devoted to the 2010 Census with “postings about census methodology, findings, and resources.” It is important for students to understand why a census is taken every ten years and what kind of information it provides the federal government. The Pew Research Center will use All Things Census to explain what the data gleaned from the census means when the information becomes available later this year.

Civilrights.org: Census Education Kit

This organization has created a comprehensive Census education kit that answers questions that the American public may have about the upcoming census. It also encourages citizens to get involved in their communities to spread the word about the importance of the census to everyone’s civil rights.

It’s about us: 2010 Census in schools

“Stand up and be counted!” are the words that introduce this website about the 2010 Census. Scholastic has created lessons, activities, and other resources to help K-12 educators teach their students about the Census and its importance to United States citizens as well as the citizens of Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In addition, a Kids page includes interactive activities related to the Census.

North Carolina Can Count on Me! 2010 Census

The state of North Carolina is counting on its citizens to complete and mail in the 2010 Census. Using color-coded maps of North Carolina and its counties, the site shows why citizen non-response to the 2000 Census had an impact on the federal funding the state received. Basic Census information is also available on this site.

The 2010 Census: Count on Change!

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund sponsors this site to get the word out for all people to participate in the 2010 Census. Along with information on the 2010 Census, the site has a great video that explains that “everyone counts.”