Massachusetts Map
The Mass. Studies Project

OUR TOWN, OUR CITY
Local Lessons and Activities
for Massachusetts Teachers

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Using Local Census Data to Explore the Industrial Revolution
Lesson 1 - Manufacturing on the Rise

Modeling the Use of the Historical Census Browser

    1. Census Browser ImageUsing a computer connected to a large screen or television monitor so students can see, visit the Historical Census Browser website.

    2. Under "Choose a category to begin examining data" click Economy/Manufacturing/Employment.

    3. The computer will display the Census Data over Time screen with several items for selection.

    4. Leave the date range of the data on the default setting (1790 to 1960).

    5. In the topics list, click Manufacturing Establishments.

    6. Click the Submit Query Query button.

    7. The next page displays state-level data for Manufacturing Establishments. Copy the information for Massachusetts into an Excel spreadsheet. Make sure to label each column with the appropriate year.

    8. To retrieve county-level data, click the checkbox next to Massachusetts. Then scroll down to the bottom of the table and click the Retrieve County-level Data button.

    9. The next page displays county-level data for Manufacturing Establishments in Massachusetts. Copy the information for your county into the next row on your Excel spreadsheet.

    10. On the Census webpage, at the top of the column for 1870, click the text that says "Map It" to view the data displayed as a map of Massachusetts counties. The screen below will appear.

    11. Visually compare your county to other counties in Massachusetts in 1870.

    12. Click on the little printer icon to view, print or save map as a PDF or image:

This lesson was designed by Elizabeth C. Finison.
Questions? Contact: k12.msp@umb.edu

Credits

Massachusetts Map

The Mass. Studies Project

These curricular modules were developed with support from the
John H. and H. Naomi Tomfohrde Foundation
.

The "Our Town, Our City" Curricular Resources Project is an initiative of the Massachusetts Studies Project, Institute for Learning and Teaching, University of Massachusetts, Boston

The lesson plan formatting is based on The WebQuest template.

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