Putting the 1900 Census in Context
If you’re exploring the 1900 census to find ancestors, you may be interested to know what was going on in the world at the time. What did your great-grandparents experience … what new innovations did they marvel at … what was life like back then?
Genealogy should be more than just filling out a family tree. It’s a way of understanding the past and the people who lived in earlier times. That gives you a deeper context for understanding your own roots.
Think about how exciting it must have been to be alive in 1900 — a new century had just begun! Could your ancestors living at the time of the 1900 census have imagined what was to come in just a few years? Consider just a few developments of the first decade of the century…
1901 — Guglielmo Marconi receives the first transatlantic wireless signals, sent from England to Newfoundland.
1903 — The Wright Brothers complete the first powered flight, ushering in a new age of travel by air.
1905 — Albert Einstein publishes a paper about his Theory of Relativity. The world of physics would never be the same.
1907 — Oklahoma becomes the country’s 46th state.
1908 — Henry Ford builds the Model T — the first affordable car. Price: $850.
During the decade, of 1900 to 1910 the population of the United States grew from about 76 million to 90 million people — an incredible 18% rise, due largely to a spike in immigration from Europe.
The price of a first class stamp was 2 cents. The average worker made $12.98 per week. Average life expectancy was about 47 years. The Sears Roebuck catalog was one of the most widely read publications, and “Sweet Adeline” was one of the most popular songs.
Radios were beginning to bring music to the home, and the hand-cranked Victrola went on the market in 1903. At that time a 78 rpm, 12” record had a playing time of just 3-1/2 minutes, which is why all popular recordings were limited to about 3 minutes. Famed opera star Enrico Caruso made his first gramophone recording in 1902.
The era of motion pictures had just begun. Perhaps some of your ancestors went to see The Great Train Robbery in 1903. This 10-minute silent film was based on an actual train robbery conducted by Butch Cassidy’s ‘Hole in the Wall’ Gang on August 29, 1900. Although crude by today’s standards, the film was a landmark in cinematic history.
Fortunately, photography was becoming widespread, so you are more likely to have family pictures from this time than from earlier eras. The Kodak Brownie was first introduced in 1900. This camera popularized photography with its simple controls and ability for people to easily take a snapshot. And it sold for $1.
So as you look through the 1900 census, keep in mind what an amazing time it must have been for your ancestors who were alive at the dawn of the 20th century.