Celebrate America’s 250^th Birthday With Census Bureau Data!

Did you know the U.S. population has grown from about 2.5 million people in 1776 to more than 340 million today? For 236 of America’s 250-year history, the census has measured our nation’s population. It has also tracked our values, interests, and changes in the way we live. Bring our nation’s story to life with our data-driven Freedom 250 materials—from new and updated engaging activities with real-world data on the populations of historic U.S. landmark locations and the 55 incorporated places across the nation with patriotic names to interactive Kahoot! games that help you take a step back in time! Put your students' history and data literacy skills to the test with these ready-to-use materials that help them learn about the people, places, and events that helped shape America’s journey to independence. 

Fun Facts and Warm-Ups:

• Celebrating 250 Years of America Special Edition Fun Facts
• Exploring the 1950 Census Fun Facts
• Presidents’ Day 5-Minute Challenge Warm-Up Activity

Classroom Activities and Additional Resources:

• How Is Young Adulthood Changing Classroom Activity
• How Times Have Changed: An Analysis of Young Adults Classroom Activity
• Voting Trends in America, 1960-2020 Classroom Activity
• Constitution Day and Apportionment Resources

Kahoot! Games:

• Fireworks and Road Trips: Slide Into Summer With Census Data Kahoot! Game 
• Exploring American History and the Constitution With Census Bureau Data Kahoot! Game
• Welcome to the District: Test Your Knowledge on Our Nation’s Capital Kahoot! Game
• Then and Now: A Look Back at the 1950 Census Kahoot! Game

Plan Ahead

Check out our summer resources for Independence Day—Freedom 250 (July 4), World Population Day (July 11), National Ice Cream Day (July 19), Family Fun Month, Back to School, Book Lover’s Day (August 9), and National Roller Coaster Day (August 16). Use our July and August Monthly Highlights webpage to plan your summer months!

About the Census Bureau

We serve as the nation’s leading provider of quality data about its people and economy. The Census Bureau is the federal government's largest statistical agency. As the world’s premier statistical agency, we are dedicated to making our nation a better place. Policy-makers, businesses, and the public use our data to make informed decisions.