Reuters
When it comes to making the grade on the way our government works, nearly four out of every ten Americans fail. Newsweek and The Daily Beast polled 1,000 Americans giving them ten random questions from the list of 100 that can be used in a U.S. citizenship test. Anyone who wants to become a citizen must be able to answer at least six correctly (aka 60% for those mathematically challenged), and 38% failed.
To take a test of 20 to see how you match up, click here, and post your score (if you dare!) in the comments section. I got 17 out of 20 correct (that's 85%)... so I'm rather pleased with myself.
Here are some of the stats from the poll's findings. Twenty-nine percent of those asked could not name the current Vice President of the United States. Seventy-three percent could not say what issue was at the heart of the Cold War. Forty-four percent don't know what to call the first ten amendments of the Constitution. And six percent couldn't circle Independence Day on a calendar. Oy vey!
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I'm surprised only 38% failed.
missed 3. no of amendments...missed by 3, thought jefferson was one of fed papers authors and had only 425 reps...shame on me.
When it's all said and done, foreign born Americans and other immigrants know more about our government and in some cases, history, than most native born.
I got 18/20
Whee! Good fun. Got 19/20. Missed the number of amendments by one :-(
I got them all right, but then I was a history / political science double-major, so I should have.
I agree with Alleycat: Only 38% failed?
I stop people on the street all the time to ask them what they know about our history or about the world (ie: who's the current Prime Minister of Canada? the UK?) and I am forever being amazed at how little average Americans know about anything.
I got two wrong--the number of representatives and the number of amendments. I just didn't do well with numbers today, and I'm very embarrassed.
Chuck, as I think of it, I'm really amazed only 38% failed. Perhaps they only surveyed college grads who majored in history. Really. In a random sample, I'm positive more than 38% would fail.
Odyssey Dawn
Has a lot of meaning -- The Odyssey lasted ten years and ended in a bloodbath
So maybe this is the dawn of a long struggle with a bloodbath in the end? Only time will tell. Keep them printing presses rolling to pay for it! Ho Hum.
Regards Bob Rushton
What we need is a test to be a voter, stupid people shouldnt be allowed to vote, OBAMA is proof of that.
I missed the number of amendments - otherwise 19 of 20. Can I vote twice now?
Holy smokes Larry, after checking the ratings figures for both you and your buddy Glenn Beck, I finally understand why you hate him so badly....He is kicking your ass!!! Now I'm no fan of the uneducated one either, but that really has to drive you bonkers doesn't it? That has to drive you nuts knowing that he actually takes some/most of your most coveted demographic.....You are such a tool! I honestly thought NBC made a good choice by letting K. Olbermann go.... to bad you can't put that toothpaste back in the tube. You have got to be by far, the most obnoxious, pompous, ill-informed, second, actually third-rate "opinionator of news" I've ever had the glory of mocking. Seriously "sir", I'm as Truman Democrat as one can get, and I'd like to slap the taste out of your mouth. You Larry, have the most vanilla, uninspired, tasteless news commentation I've ever read, heard, watched, etc. Believe me when I say, I pray to my HEAVENLY FATHER that the good Mr Phil Griffin keep your show on just so I can watch your numbers dwindle to a negative number (if it were only possible). As cliche as this may sound Larry, watching your show is so very much akin to wathcin
Larry, you have got the worst show on tv....no really, the worst!!! Glenn Beck is obnoxious and grossly opionionated, but Holy smokes....He's kickin' your ass!!! Why is it that you're spending so much time talking about him and trying to make fun of him? Maybe you should be focusing on commenting on the news of the day instead of commenting on who has and will continue to dominate you in every demographic known to television. While I find him to be too opinionated and arrogant for my taste, at least he's original, which is a far cry better than I can say for you you boob! When the Huffington Post starts resulting a market share for you better than 1/3 of Glenn Beck's, then I'll come and listen to MSNBC again. until then sir, enjoy mediocrity (if you work hard at it, you'll achieve it). I'll be watching CNN!!!
I would imagine that percentage gets considerably lower when you use only members of congress as your sample group.