An official website of the United States government                

----

end of header

# History

###### You are here: Census.gov ›  History ›  Through the Decades › Fast Facts › 1790 Fast Facts

Skip top of page navigation

                - History Main
                - Agency History                    - Director Biographies
                  - Census Facilities
                  - Suitland, MD
                  - Notable Alumni
                - Innovations                    - Data Collection
                  - Technology
                - Programs                    - Agriculture
                  - Demographic
                  - Housing
                  - Economic
                  - Geography
                  - Governments
                - Through the Decades                    - Fast Facts
                  - Overview
                  - Index of Questions
                  - Questionnaires
                  - Census Instructions
                - Genealogy                    - Decennial Census Records
                  - Other Resources
                - Reference                    - Data@Museums
                  - Artifacts
                  - Lesson Plans
                  - Legislation
                  - Maps
                  - Oral Histories
                  - Privacy & Confidentiality
                  - Apportionment
                  - Publications 
                - Home Page Archive                    - 2024
                  - 2023
                  - 2022
                  - 2021
                  - 2020
                  - 2019
                  - 2018
                  - 2017
                  - 2016
                  - 2015
                  - 2014 
                - FAQs                    - Genealogy
                  - Agency History
                  - Demographic
                  - Economic
                  - Governments
                  - Agriculture
                  - Geography
                  - Innovations
                  - Miscellaneous

### Fast Facts

### Also in this Section:

                          - 2020 Fast Facts
                          - 2010 Fast Facts
                          - 2000 Fast Facts
                          - 1990 Fast Facts
                          - 1980 Fast Facts
                          - 1970 Fast Facts
                          - 1960 Fast Facts
                          - 1950 Fast Facts
                          - 1940 Fast Facts
                          - 1930 Fast Facts
                          - 1920 Fast Facts
                          - 1910 Fast Facts
                          - 1900 Fast Facts
                          - 1890 Fast Facts
                          - 1880 Fast Facts
                          - 1870 Fast Facts
                          - 1860 Fast Facts
                          - 1850 Fast Facts
                          - 1840 Fast Facts
                          - 1830 Fast Facts
                          - 1820 Fast Facts
                          - 1810 Fast Facts
                          - 1800 Fast Facts
                          - 1790 Fast Facts

### *POP*Culture: 1790

**ICONS:** George Washington, 1790 Census, USS Constitution 
                          - President George Washington delivers the first "State of the Union Address" on January 8, 1790.
                          - Benjamin Franklin dies on April 17, 1790 in Philadelphia, PA.
                          - Washington, DC, is established as the capital of the United States, in 1791.
                          - The U.S. Post Office Department is established on February 20, 1792.
                          - In October 1794, federal troops put an end to the "Whiskey Rebellion," after distillers in the Appalacian region of the United States resisted paying a tax on distilled spirits.
                          - Eli Whitney is granted a patent for the cotton gin, which cleans seed from cotton, on March 14, 1794.
                          - The USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides") launches as part of the U.S. Navy in 1797 and sails to the Mediterranean Sea to protect American merchant vessels from Barbary pirates.
                          - Construction begins on Fort McHenry in 1798.  Sixteen years later, Francis Scott Key pens "The Star Spangled Banner" during its bombardment by British forces.
                          - George Washington, first President of the United States, dies at Mount Vernon, VA, on December 14, 1799.

| The 1790 Census  |   | 10 Largest Urban Places                   |
|------------------|--------|-------------------------------------------|
| 3,929,214        |
| 4.5              | 1      | New York City, NY                         | 33,131 |
| n/a              | 2      | Philadelphia, PA                          | 28,522 |
| August 2         | 3      | Boston town, MA                           | 18,320 |
| 13               | 4      | Charleston, SC                            | 16,359 |
| $44,000          | 5      | Baltimore town, MD                        | 13,503 |
| 1.1              | 6      | Northern Liberties township, PA           | 9,913 |
| 56               | 7      | Salem town, MA                            | 7,921 |
| 650 (est.)       | 8      | Newport town, RI                          | 6,716 |
|                  | 9      | Providence town, RI                       | 6,380 |
| Thomas Jefferson | 10     | Marblehead town, MASouthwark district, PA | 5,661 |
| 6                |

  This symbol  indicates a link to a non-government web site.  Our linking to these sites does not constitute an endorsement of any products, services or the information found on them. Once you link to another site you are subject to the policies of the new site.

CONNECT WITH US**********

                            - Information Quality
                            - Data Linkage Infrastructure
                            - Data Protection and Privacy Policy
                            - Accessibility
                            - FOIA
                            - Inspector General
                            - No FEAR Act
                            - U.S. Department of Commerce
                            - USA.gov

----

Measuring America's People, Places, and Economy

Is this page helpful?
YesNo

NO THANKS

255 characters maximum255 characters maximum reached

Thank you for your feedback.Comments or suggestions?