The Birth Certificate: An American History

Investigating how changes in human statistical data gathering have influenced our perceptions of ourselves. Historically, the effects of recording one's birthdate with the authorities has directly influenced our concept of individuality and self. Just as the lack of doing so fostered a population of "property". The birth of slaves was not routinely registered; they were not people with birthdays and inheritance, they were property on someone's balance sheet. One's cultural concepts of fertility and identity may very well depend on the pants you're wearing. As a father with a birthday, you protect your legacy and lineage by recording the birthdays of those who will succeed to your property. If you are a ruler, knowledge of your growing work force, military might and population strength influences how you govern. It's the semantics of politics.