1.8 Decennial Census Data on Educational Attainment (1940–2000)
US Census Bureau
The Constitution mandates an “enumeration” of the inhabitants of the United States (in Article 1, Section 2) every decade. Accordingly, the first census was conducted in 1790. Over the decades, censuses have become increasingly important, both politically and academically. This collection of eight bar graphs from the US Census Bureau is just one example of myriad statistical resources available at http://www.census.gov.
Before You Read
Visit the US Census Bureau’s website at http://www.census.gov. At first glance, how do you think its resources could be used as a tool for academic research? What sorts of topics would benefit from census data?
Next, research and report on some of the ways in which census data has been used for political purposes.
Research some of the political disputes that have transpired over the census, especially the efforts in recent decades to arrive at an accurate count of the overall population.
Selected Reading
Review the eight bar graphs at http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/census/half-century/files/US.pdf.
Source: United States educational attainment of the population 25 years and over: 1940 to 2000. Census.gov. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/census/half-century/files/US.pdf
After You Read
Were you surprised by any of the data in these charts?
How well do census reports visually manage the task of classifying complex data points?
In several small groups, compose a brief summary of the data in these eight charts. Compare the summaries produced by different groups in the class.
Find a similar set of charts on a different demographic phenomenon at http://www.census.gov. Survey the possibilities by using the dropdown menu of the “People” tab at the top left of the page. Prepare a brief report on the data, and using the presentation software of your choice, be prepared to present the data orally.