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1940 Processing the Questionnaires

Mechanically Sorting and Tabulating Punch Cards.

On the left, Census Bureau employees mechanically sort punch cards containing census data. After sorting, the high-speed, mechanical tabulating machines tallied the data contained on the punch cards. The Census Bureau began using punch cards to sort and tabulate census data following the 1890 census. The machinery used to handle the punch cards grew steadily faster until computers and magnetic computer tape replaced punch cards in the 1960s.

Year: 1940

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Page Last Revised - January 7, 2022
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