1840 United States Census facts for kids

The United States Census of 1840 was a big count of all the people living in the United States in 1840. It was the sixth time the country did this kind of count, and it finished on June 1, 1840. The census found that there were 17,069,453 people in the U.S. at that time. This was a lot more people than in the 1830 Census, showing an increase of about 32.7 percent. The total number of people counted included 2,487,355 enslaved people.

What Was the 1840 U.S. Census?

A census is like a giant survey that a country does to count everyone living there. The 1840 U.S. Census was important because it helped the government understand how many people lived in each state. This information was used to decide how many representatives each state would have in the U.S. Congress. It also helped leaders make plans for the country's future.

Counting People in 1840

When the census was completed, it showed that the United States had grown a lot. The population had increased by over 32 percent since the last count in 1830. This big jump in numbers meant more towns and cities were growing. It also showed how quickly the country was expanding.

Where Did Americans Live?

The census also helped figure out the "center of population." This is like finding the middle point where all the people in the country would balance if they were on a giant seesaw. In 1840, this center was about 260 miles (418 kilometers) west of Washington, D.C.. It was located near a place called Weston, West Virginia. This shows that more and more people were moving westward across the country.

Images for kids

• 

  A robot representing a kid-friendly resource.