Survey: Americans don't know Constitution, civics

[sinkingfeeling]

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/09/constitution-knowledge-sandra-day-oconnor-tea-party-/1

A new survey released today shows Americans don't have a good grasp of the Constitution or its powers, highlighting the need for better civic education. Saturday marks the 224th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

"These failings threaten the future of our democracy," wrote retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, in a column for The Philadelphia Inquirer. "If we don't know what makes this country special and worth saving, how will we know how to safeguard its promise of freedom and opportunity."

•Just 38% of the poll's respondents can name all three branches of the U.S. government (executive, legislative and judicial) One-third are unable to correctly name any of the branches.
•15% correctly say John Roberts is chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, but almost twice as many respondents (27%) correctly named Randy Jackson as a judge on TV's American Idol.
•A majority of people (55%) incorrectly believe the Constitution was signed in 1776. That's the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. The Constitution was signed Sept. 17, 1787.

[demosincebirth]

1. that's a known fact. Whats else is new?

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. They never did.

New organizations are always doing this story because it's always true, and easy to do, not because it explains anything.

Americans have always not known diddly-squat about their Constitution, etc, at least since the coming of universal manhood suffrage.

The organizations that organize and then deliver voters en bloc to the polls on election day -- mechanics' organizations, highly partisan newspapers, ethnic lodges, churches, organized movements like the temperance movement -- or the Klan, trades unions, etc, etc. slowly change, go out of existence, etc.

[dtexdem]

2. And although I don't doubt the ignorance of the Constitution, as with so many "tests," ...

this one mixes in the important with the trivial. Whether it was 1776 or 1787 is not nearly as important as the three branches of government. And aren't those corporations, ALEC, and PACs? ;-)

For that matter, isn't ALEC really the chief justice? ;-)

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Ok let me reach for this

No really

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TbmYJFkUcV0/TmUJG_vpA6I/AAAAAAAAAHY/0W1AxqMCleU/s1600/water+is+wet.jpg

[MineralMan]

5. Hardly surprising, really.

DUers would do somewhat better, I'm sure. Even here, though, there are many who are not very familiar with the Constitution. It's a shame. It's such a short document, really. I reread it every year on July 4. I've been doing that for 46 years now. It's a good Independence day habit.

[Bandit]

9. What does it say about maintaining a permanent Army or Navy?

And about financing such?

[MineralMan]

12. Why do you ask?

Just curious. That's never been challenged, really.

The only restriction is that funding for the Armies must be renewed every two years. No such time limit is in place for the Navy. The rest is provided for in the preamble, which defines the "common defense" as one of the functions of government.

I know what your argument is, and it fails every time it is tested.

Congress can maintain a permanent Army if it wishes to. So far, it has wished to for a long time. All it has to do is fund it every two years.

[OHdem10]

6. When we have Politicians DEMEANING those who dare to get

an education and God forbid an education at the IVYs,
and others REWRITING history, what can one expect?

[Bigmack]

7. The few semesters I taught American Government...

I gave the kids a quiz about the Bill of Rights the first day.

They failed miserably.... didn't know their own rights.

Had a parent come in pissed because I told the kids... "If you are in trouble...shut up and get a lawyer."

Had kids argue that anybody who burns the flag should be deprived of their citizenship.

Very depressing.

(I didn't like teaching Am Gov because I felt like an atheist preaching fundamentalist Xianity.)

[slackmaster]

8. Yup

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KwYaTGeF_E/Teoup6kk-LI/AAAAAAAAAdA/DbsLc_o7JpQ/s1600/no+shit+sherlock+2.jpg

[Tesha]

10. It's always amusing when Sandra Day O'Connor lectures us on the Constitution.

Until Bush v Gore (wherein she voted for Bush), I always
believed that the voters had some part in choosing the
President of the United States.

Tesha

[Recovered Repug]

11. Technically, you were always wrong.

Choosing the electors was left up to the states (Article 2, Section 1). There's nothing in the Constitution that specifies the people voting for president.

[Tesha]

18. (I didn't want to get into the technical details which is why I limited it to...

"had some part in"; because all states currently
actually do choose their electors based on some
sort of interpretation of the vote of the general
population, I figured that went far enough to
make my point.)

Tesha

[dems_rightnow]

15. Then you learned something.

You get to vote for a slate of electors, who then cast their votes as directed.

[Tesha]

19. Please read my reply above. (NT)

[valerief]

13. And their geography skills are even worse! nt

[dems_rightnow]

14. I couldn't have said WHEN the Constitution was signed.

I knew "a number of years after" the Declaration. But not which exact year. Nor do I consider not knowing a particular date to show that you somehow lack civics knowledge.

I also couldn't have named Randy Jackson as an American Idol judge. In fact, I've never heard of him.

[Rex]

16. No shit.

Zillions of dollars go into keeping Americans stupid and docile consumers.

[Broderick]

17. Some Americans know constitution very well

They take their fiber, etc.


I would rather ask if they know THE constitution.

[ashling]

20. But the tea party has this little gem for the "little patriot"

The USA Today article throws this in at the bottom. :puke:

In a separate event, the Tea Party Patriots released a coloring book to teach children about the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The book uses puzzles, games and song.

The book "is an excellent way to help kids understand how important freedom is in their lives and why we need to protect it," said Jenny Beth Martin, a co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots.

http://www.teapartypatriots.org/coloringbook.aspx
Tea Party Patriots Constitution Coloring Activity Book, Just for Patriots!!
It's here! The fun, highly educational Constitution coloring book is here! This coloring activity book introduces children to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and to some of the brilliant, honorable men who participated in those debates. The 40 page Constitution Coloring Activity Book will help children and parents gain a better understanding of the Constitution and the events shaped our nation.

Our nation faces troubling times because of a lack of constitutional education. Never be a part of that apathy again. Help us teach our children about the principles of liberty and the Constitution. Get this activity book and help us begin to re-educate a nation. Ages pre-k Use this book to:
-Teach Children -Adopt a School -Fund Raise
-Donate to Local Schools* -Have Fun!

The book can also be purchased by local coordinators in bulk at a discount and sold as a fundraising tool for the local chapter.

*The Constitution Coloring Activity Book is available without the Tea Party Patriots branding for use in schools that require books without branding or logos of any kind.

Official Tea Party Patriots' Coloring & Activity Book

This is the perfect gift for the little Patriot, full of puzzles, games, and songs designed to teach and inspire pride in their heritage as an American. It introduces children to the Tea Party Patriots' core values and how they can become involved in preserving the liberty our Founding Fathers enshrined for We the People. This 36 page book denotes a historical perspective on the tea party movement. The book includes a simple and fun emphasis on fundamental freedoms and is part of a long term effort to educate the next generation of children on the basics of American liberty.

The books can also be purchased by local coordinators in bulk at a discount and sold as a fundraising tool for the local chapter. Purchase Here

to 4th grade. Purchase Here


nothing in the article about any other efforts at real education promoting critical thought- just the PEEparty :puke:
of course those efforts would fall into the sidebar on indoctrination

[Golden Raisin]

21. Well isn't that the goal?

An under or uneducated electorate that doesn't even know when it's Constitutional rights are being usurped or taken away? The less they know the more susceptible to Fox-esque propaganda and electoral manipulation/corruption. It's not by accident that most public schools no longer offer the once traditional "Civics" or "American Government" classes. And as for the endless foreign wars that are draining our Treasury dry and bankrupting our economy, I bet the statistics of how many Americans who could even identify Iraq or Afghanistan on a map would be shocking.

[KansDem]

22. You mean like this?

Stupid Americans

Don't you love how they can laugh at themselves for giving stupid answers?

The map questions are priceless! :rofl:

[Golden Raisin]

24. We are doomed!

Even scarier, I wonder how many of them actually vote?

[no_hypocrisy]

23. I agree. K-12, undergraduate, and graduate degrees gave me minimal

education concerning the Constitution and related Supreme Court decisions. And I had little substantial understanding of the cases I was familiar with.

I had to go to LAW SCHOOL to finally understand the Constitution. And it was the first time I had heard of The Federalist Papers and other documents that preceded the Constitution.

There's something wrong when knowing the Constitution belongs to a few of the privileged.