Americans nationwide fail a civic literacy test, scoring an average of 49%, or an “F.” Only 0.8 percent (or 21 people) of all surveyed earned an “A.”
Test yourelf. How do you score?
Tablet PC users and other teachers may find it useful to use this civic literacy test as a study guide in classes beginning in prekindergarten.
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) issued its third report on U.S. civic literacy. The report concludes that most people, including college graduates and elected officials, are ignorant of civic history and economics. All groups failed a basic civics test.
The test contains 33 questions designed to measure knowledge of America’s founding principles, political history, international relations, and market economy.
Less than half can name all three branches of the government.
Only 21% know that the phrase “government of the people, by the people, for the people” comes from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
Although Congress has voted twice in the last eight years to approve foreign wars, only 53% know that the power to declare war belongs to Congress. Almost 40% incorrectly believe it belongs to the president.
Only 55% know that Congress shares authority over U.S. foreign policy with the president. Almost a quarter incorrectly believe Congress shares this power with the United Nations.
Only 27% know the Bill of Rights expressly prohibits establishing an official religion for the United States.
Less than one in five know that the phrase “a wall of separation” between church and state comes from a letter by Thomas Jefferson. Almost half incorrectly believe it can be found in the Constitution.
More than 2,500 randomly selected Americans took ISI’s basic 33-question test on civic literacy and more than 1,700 people failed, with the average score 49 percent, or an “F.”
Elected officials scored even lower than the general public with an average score of 44 percent.
Only 0.8 percent (or 21) of all surveyed earned an “A.”
Even more startling is the fact that over twice as many people know Paula Abdul was a judge on American Idol than know that the phrase “government of the people, by the people, for the people” comes from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
Here’s an interesting note: Respondents who score in the top third in civic literacy are more likely than those who score poorly to participate in the civic life of their communities and country.
I wonder if Tableteers score higher than the general public.
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) (www.isi.org) was founded in 1953 to further in successive generations of American college youth a better understanding of the economic, political, and ethical values that sustain a free and humane society.
The ISI is your average wingnut organization (note how many of the questions tend toward the grandiosity of capitalism?). The “test” is crap. Much like the organization that wrote it.
Yes, I agree that they used a nominal scale level of questions assembled loosly around the so called Western canon, a common heritage for citizens of the U.S. Yet, it appears to indicate that not many people can answer the Qs correctly. Yes?