Census in the ConstitutionArticle I, Section 2

… Representatives ... shall be apportioned

among the several states ... according to their

respective numbers. … 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 ...

What is a Census?

A census counts everyone or thing.

The US Census counts everyone

residing in the US.

Is it hard to count?

This Classroom

Have someone stand up front and count.

Look at the teacher's roster.

Is anyone absent?

Has anyone moved?

For what day do we want the count?

Stratford

Going door to door

Is there a list of residences?

Does everyone have a residence?

Will someone be home at every residence to answer our questions?

Can we do the counting in one day?

United States of America

For people who have an address, the

Census Bureau will send out a form in March.

Census Day is April 1st. Residents fill in who was

residing at their address on April 1st and send the

form back to the government.

United States of America

For people who do not send in the form or who

have no address, the Census Bureau will send

someone out to count them. Sending someone

out is much more expensive and costs all of us,

since the Census is paid for with our taxes.

ConclusionThe Census is important. The Census

determines how much representation we get in

Congress and was mandated, when this country

was formed, by our founding fathers and

mothers. Counting everyone is hard and the

Census is expensive. Anything we can do to

keep costs down helps us all.