Civic Literacy Report: Americans Fail Basic Test of Their History and Institutions

Posted by Catherine Stifter  December 1, 2008

http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/

More than 2,500 randomly selected Americans took the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’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 and 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.

This is the third study of civic literacy by the ISI. Click the link to take the test yourself. You may be surprised at what you don't know about American history and institutions.

Topics: Bill of Rights, Citizenship, Economics, Founding American Values, Religion