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History

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Census Instructions

1870 Instructions

Approximately 6,500 U.S. marshals received their instruction for enumerating the U.S. population from a May 23, 1850 authorizing the census - the same act authorizing the 1850 census and a May 6, 1870 act that canceled the collection of slave data. In addition to the census act, marshals also received the printed booklet, "Instructions to Assistant Marshals."



1870 Instructions [PDF 1.87MB]

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau | Census History Staff | Last Revised: December 14, 2023