Link: https://www.verity.news/story/2026/-of-americans-flunk-basic-civics-quiz

A Cato Institute survey of 2,253 Americans, conducted with Morning Consult on June 25-26, found that 46% of respondents couldn't identify what America's 250th anniversary commemorates on July 4th, while 53% correctly linked it to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

The knowledge gap was most pronounced among Gen Z, with 61% of respondents aged roughly 18 to 26 unable to identify the significance of the anniversary. Only 39% of that age group correctly connected the celebration to the Declaration of Independence.

The survey also revealed broader civic knowledge gaps: 57% of Americans didn't know why the colonies declared independence from Britain, 58% couldn't identify the main purpose of the Constitution, and 55% didn't know the Supreme Court has final say in disputes with the president.

I'm not surprised.

I guess that to understand the concept of independence you'd also have to conceptualise other countries and there lies the problem.

46% of Americans unaware

But if course. We can't teach civics! That's not patriotic. The schools need more bible and Ayn Rand, less Jefferson and Voltaire. /s

But not too much bible. Don't give them any ideas about loving thy neighbor and giving to the poor!

And don't let them read the nasty bits with the genocides. Or the part where the teenage girls rape their father. Or the part where David kills off a guy to fuck his wife. Or the-

CATO Institute

Why do people keep posting articles from these hacks?

A Cato Institute survey of 2,253 Americans, conducted with Morning Consult on June 25-26, found that 46% of respondents couldn’t identify what America’s 250th anniversary commemorates on July 4th, while 53% correctly linked it to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Because Americans regularly confuse the Signing of the Declaration (Independence Day) with the Signing of the Constitution (September 17th, officially Constitution Day, but rarely celebrated as such), as they are both foundational documents held up in the jingoistic zeitgeist

This is the same tired "man on the street" interview that mostly gets people because they're not prepared for the question, not because they're uneducated or innately stupid. In the same way, ambushing someone on the street and demanding they tell you the answer to "12x16" will produce an unusually large number of wrong answers. That doesn't signify "X% of people don't know multiplication". These PolySci Pop Quiz questions sift people for headline-making statistics to work the audience into an "Everyone is dumb but me" libertarian-brained lather.

CATO is run by professional liars. And the real failure of modern poly-sci education is not throwing up a red flag the moment you see their name associated with any kind of journalism.

We can’t teach civics!

Most people don't spend their lives ingesting and regurgitating PolySci history factoids, such that its fresh in their brains the moment a random pollster bothers them for an answer.

would love to see the Venn diagram of "patriots" who know nothing about the country's history vs Christians who have no idea what Jesus said vs people who unironically use the word "sheeple" (i.e. who accuse others of blindly following without thought or knowledge)

This sort of thing, to me, is what's most insidious about how social media has evolved. It's become a tool to reconstruct people's individual realities, and those realities no longer have to correspond to facts, because one's opinion is considered sacrosanct no matter how silly or unfounded it is.

“Everyone is dumb but me” libertarian-brained lather.

Yes, yes, very, ummmm, libertarian of them....

Anyway, see also: the Lizardman Constant

...or the bits about selling your daughter into slavery.

57% of Americans didn't know why the colonies declared independence from Britain

By design so that those in power could orchestrate the same offenses

Just rename it "Explosion Day"

ok I reallllllyyyy want to make a satirical reply but as usual im worried about creating a new web cult.

I feel like MAGAhats are deep enough in the sinkhole that they'd do anything, even that, for their Daddy Rapist.

Just call 'em fascists, that's what they are now. Had they been conservative we'd see more reps like Charlie Baker.

It's the day after important provisions were struck out of the Declaration of Independence by committee.

These people not to be educated. Please make it affordable for everybody.

The list of things in the article summary the absolute bare minimum someone who votes should know.

It doesn't roll off the tongue as easy as Turkey Day, but I like the sentiment.

Big Kaboom Day?

Adventure Sphere would disapprove

I mean I don't really need more proof that Americans are dumb.

American Education Brain is thinking the "bare minimum" is regurgitation of trivia factoids as a basis for competency.

"July 4th Meaning" has nothing to do with one's political valence or material conditions.

The nasty stuff kinda seems like the very reason why they're pushing bible study in the first place ...

IDK, treating people and especially women as property seems on brand for these types ...

To be fair if the Cato institute asked me a question I'd lie to them on principle.

Every single time I think my fellow citizens couldn't be any dumber, a new thing to read comes out and pushes my expectations so far into the bedrock I can't imagine finding it again.

Don't worry, we're getting dumber
https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/2023/national_results.asp

I know for a fact that the significance of July 4th was part of the curriculum when i was in school. At least for a millennial we got that e education. Whether or not that information was retained by others or taught appropriately is another thing.