Blog Post 1

The dataset I chose was titled “Decennial Censuses on 2010 Geography.” Essentially, it uses color to represent population densities in individual states. It also allows you to compare the population densities during the years 1970 versus 2000. The color code starts from a low population density being represented by a light yellow to a high population density being represented by a deep red. This dataset interested me because I live in New Jersey, one of the states with the highest population densities today. With this knowledge, I was curious to see how the population density measured up against other states around the country. I also wanted to see how the population shifted from the past to today. The goal of the dataset is to demonstrate population shifts over the period of 30 years. Though the population shifts are not related to any specific group or outlined by any specific events, the dataset does allow people to see how the general American population moved during the late 1900s. The data shows that, over time, the population density of a few states, mainly Florida, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming, increased drastically. This coincided with a small decrease in population density of many states. If I were to present an argument using this dataset, I would use the population shift to relate specific events during the 1900s to some kind of exodus that may have happened in the US. If I found a specific group shifting its location in the US, I may have to modify the dataset to further detail the populations of areas that the group inhabited. This population shift could also be due to population distribution across ages. It is well known that many older people move during their retirement to hotter places like Florida or more scenic places like Montana, so perhaps the population shift occurred as the older population started retiring in droves.