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Quiz: Counting America

April 5, 2020

What was unusual about the 1920 census? Why are some Americans wary of filling out their census forms? Take the quiz to find out.

What’s notable about the 2020 census?
- Paper responses must be notarized
- It will be significantly shorter in order to save money
- It can be completed online
- All of the above
Last summer, the Supreme Court ruled that the 2020 census should not ask whether a person:
- Identifies as LGBT
- Is a U.S. citizen
- Paid federal income taxes last year
- Receives government benefits like disability or SNAP
After the 1920 census, Congress refused to reapportion the House of Representatives for nearly a decade. Why?
- Rural members of Congress opposed shifting resources to urban areas
- African-Americans argued successfully that the numbers did not accurately represent them
- Congress wanted to exclude women, who had just won the right to vote, from discussions on drawing new district lines
- A powerful committee chair was at risk of losing his seat
The Census Bureau announced last week that people who complete the census could be eligible for financial assistance under the new stimulus package Congress passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- True
- False
In 2000, census respondents were allowed to choose more than one ____________ for the first time.
- Gender
- Occupation
- Primary language
- Race
Different federal agencies rely on census data to different degrees. Which agency distributes the most funding based on census data?
- Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Department of Education
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Transportation
Societies around the world have conducted censuses for thousands of years, but early ones didn’t count everyone – they often focused only on taxpayers or men of military age. Where did the first modern census, one that counted every person, take place?
- China
- Iceland
- England
- Italy
In Federalist No. 54, the writer (likely James Madison) defends what portion of the Constitution, arguing that it was needed to produce an accurate census count?
- Emoluments Clause
- Fugitive Slave Clause
- Indian Commerce Clause
- Three-Fifths Compromise
Even before the coronavirus pandemic began, experts said that 2020 could be the most difficult year yet for getting an accurate census tally. Why?
- Disinformation campaigns aim to reduce response rates among certain groups
- Lack of trust among some Americans that the government will use their information properly
- Lack of reliable internet access in some areas of the country
- All of the above
Among Americans who express concerns about answering the census, about how many worry that it asks for too much personal information?
- One-third
- Half
- Two-thirds
- Three-quarters

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