The U.S. Census and the Amazing Apportionment Machine

Loading icon Loading...

Alert icon
34,929
Loading...
Alert icon
Alert icon
Loading...
There is no Interactive Transcript.

Uploaded by on Dec 8, 2010

Apportionment is the process of dividing the seats in the House of Representatives among the 50 states based on the population figures collected during the decennial census. The number of seats in the House has grown with the country. Congress sets the number in law and increased the number to 435 in 1913. The Constitution set the number of representatives at 65 from 1787 until the first Census of 1790, when the it was increased to 105 members.

But how does apportionment actually work? Through animation, the U.S. Census Bureau helps explain how the apportionment formula is used to ensure equal representation for all, just like the Founding Fathers planned.

Category:

News & Politics

License:

Standard YouTube License

  • likes, 6 dislikes

All Comments (27) see all

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • Don't be stupid. In our current system, people in large states get much, MUCH less representation than small states. Per capita in the house is about the same, but in the senate? Why the fuck should a state 1/50th the size of California get the same number of senators? There is more diversity of opinion within the bay area than there is in all of Wyoming...

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate NerdyLiberal's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate NerdyLiberal's comment.
  • THIS VIDEO EXPLAINS NOTHING

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate mastermenthe's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate mastermenthe's comment.
  • no it does not need to be this complicated!

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate thefurminatorreview's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate thefurminatorreview's comment.
  • Fuck....no. California and New York are chronically under represented. Small states usually get far less people per representative. We should add several hundred seats to the house and california, new york, new jersey would get dozens of more seats that we deserve

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate catscatscatz's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate catscatscatz's comment.
  • ........ they are? what are you talking about?

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate tzimisces1's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate tzimisces1's comment.
  • Does it really need to be this complicated? why435.org has the answer.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate why435org's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate why435org's comment.
  • interesting..but, wouldnt it be better, and easier, elect the representatives by popular vote?

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Deisongp's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Deisongp's comment.
  • If you look at an unmodified version of the formula, and rank solely on people per representative, California should get less, as well as Texas and New York. Montana, South Dakota, and Delaware should all get 2.

    But nooooooooo...it has to be some complicated formula that has massive bias to larger states,

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate dnissen2012's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate dnissen2012's comment.
  • Look at Project 30,000. I don't have a website, but it is a project that limits the people per representative to 60,000.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate dnissen2012's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate dnissen2012's comment.
  • Um. If we were actually following the Constitution, then the U.S. House should almost double in size. This would help make representatives more accountable to their people as well.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate socialisteducation's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate socialisteducation's comment.
  • Loading comment...
Loading...

Alert icon
0 / 00Unsaved Playlist Return to active list
    1. Your queue is empty. Add videos to your queue using this button:
      or sign in to load a different list.
    Loading...Loading...Saving...
    • Clear all videos from this list
    • Learn more
    to add this to a playlist