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This week, episode 368, the first census and midterm elections.

The new U.S. Congress acquired that, quote,

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 10 years in such manner as they shall by law direct.

The primary purpose of the census was to determine how many representatives each state would get.

The Constitution had set the original numbers for each state, based on their

best guess, but a count was needed so that a proper distribution of representatives could take place.

The Articles of Confederation had called for earlier census counts, but those never got done.

Plans for a census began almost immediately after the first Congress met.

The House formed a committee in May 1789 to begin work on a plan.

In January of 1790, shortly after the second session of Congress began,

members in the Committee of the Whole began working on a law

that would direct how the census

...