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### Overview

### Also in this Section:

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

## 1820 Overview

### 1820

James Monroe was President of the United Stateson Census Day, August 7, 1820.

#### Authorizing Legislation

The fourth census was taken in accordance with the census act of March 14, 1820, which required more detailed population-related inquiries than earlier enumerations.  This census is notable for being the first to inquire if respondents were engaged in agriculture, commerce, or manufacturing.

#### Enumeration

The enumeration began on the first Monday of August.  Its   scheduled six-month completion time frame was extended by about seven months to September 1, 1821.  As in previous decades, the 1820 census act again required assistant marshals to visit every dwelling house, or head of every family within their designated districts.

Data relating to manufacturing were collected by assistants in each district, sent to the marshals, and then transmitted to the secretary of state along with the population returns. The report on manufacturing presented the data for these establishments by counties, but the results were not summarized for each district and the aggregate statement that was released was based on incomplete returns.  The 1820 manufacturing census suffers the same criticism as that in 1810:  Poor enumerator training resulted in dramatic variations in data quality and accuracy. 

#### Further Information

                        - A wide variety of historical statistics from this and other decades is available in  **Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970** .  It is available as a  PDF  [74.4MB] or 2-part ZIP file:  Part I  [52.2MB] |  Part II  [66.1MB].
                        - Reports and statistics from the 1820 census 
                        - History and Growth of the United States Census: 1790-1890  [PDF 117MB], by Carroll D. Wright and William C. Hunt.
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Measuring America's People, Places, and Economy

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