Civic Literacy Report 08-09

Our Fading Heritage Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions Intercollegiate Studies Institute American Civic Literacy Program

America’s Report Card

In spring 2008, a random sample of Americans took a straightforward test designed to assess each respondent’s “knowledge of America’s founding principles and texts, core history, and enduring institutions”—ISI’s definition of civic literacy. As detailed below, over 70% of Americans failed this basic test of the kind of knowledge required for informed and responsible citizenship. Grade

A B C D

F

Percent surveyed

(90 to 100%)

21

0.8%

(80 to 89.9%)

66

2.6

(70 to 79.9%)

185

7.4

(60 to 69.9%)

445

17.8

1,791

71.4

2,508

100.0

(59.9% and below)

Total

Number surveyed

Our Fading Heritage Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

A Report by the

Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s National Civic Literacy Board November 20, 2008

T. Ke nn e t h C ri b b Jr. President, ISI I ntercollegi at e S t ud i e s In st i t ut e , In c. 3901 Centerville Road • P.O. Box 4431 Wilmington, DE 19807-0431 (302) 652-4600

w w w. a me r i ca n ci vi cli t er a cy.o r g

2

O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

Introduction

W

hen Thomas Jefferson was 75 years old, as Dumas Malone relates in The Sage of Monticello, he mounted a horse and joined his old friend James Madison in riding to a place called Rockfish Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The two former presidents were not sightseeing. They were attending the meeting of a commission to finalize Jefferson’s plan for a public university in Virginia. The college he envisioned would “form the statesmen, legislators, and judges on whom public prosperity and individual happiness so much depend.” The curriculum would “expound the principles and structure of government; the laws which regulate the intercourse of nations, those formed municipally for our own government; and a sound spirit of legislation, which banishing all arbitrary and unnecessary restraint on individual action, shall leave us free to do whatever does not violate the equal rights of another.” Almost two centuries later, few questions remain as vital to the prospects of American liberty as the one at the center of Jefferson’s later years: are we educating our children to pass on to their children the freedom that was passed on to us? This report from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)—Our Fading Heritage: Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions—presents evidence, based on a scientifically conducted national survey, that American higher education is falling far short of Jefferson’s ideal.

To put it plainly: Americans fail the test of civic literacy—what they know about America’s history and institutions. Many Americans with bachelor’s degrees cannot answer the most basic questions about our nation’s history and founding documents. Many cannot name all three branches of government or major guarantees of the Bill of Rights. Our Fading Heritage is the third study of civic literacy published by ISI. All three corroborate the conclusion that American civic education needs to be improved significantly. The first two studies focused exclusively on college students; Our Fading Heritage expands the focus to include all Americans, collegeeducated or not. What are the real-world consequences of college graduates not having the knowledge required for informed citizenship? Read this report and you will begin to find out. In 2006, ISI—in conjunction with the University of Connecticut’s Department of Public Policy—conducted the first ever scientific survey of civic learning among American college students. Approximately 14,000 freshmen and seniors at 50 schools nationwide were given a 60-question multiple-choice exam on basic knowledge of America’s history and institutions. The results, published in The Coming Crisis in Citizenship: Higher Education’s Failure to Teach America’s History and Institutions, rang an alarm. The average college freshman failed the civic literacy test with a score of 51.7%. The average senior failed with a score of 53.2%. In 2007, ISI once again tested approximately 14,000 freshmen and seniors at 50 colleges nationwide. The results of this second survey, Failing Our Students, Failing America: Holding Colleges Accountable for Teach-

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free... it expects what never was and never will be.” –Thomas Jefferson



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ing America’s History and Institutions, corroborated the results of the first. The average score among freshmen in this round of testing was 51.4%; the average among seniors, 54.2%. For each year of college study, students gained only about one percentage point on the civic literacy exam. Students did poorly even at the most elite schools. Harvard seniors, who did best, earned an average score of only 69.56%, or a “D+.” The media focused significant attention on these two ISI reports. Hundreds of news articles, commentaries, and editorials cited the test results. Yet the problem of civic illiteracy remains. In 2008, ISI broadened the field of its study in order to more systematically isolate and gauge the independent impact of college on the civic knowledge of its graduates. In conjunction with Dr. Kenneth Dautrich of the University of Connecticut and with Braun Research, Inc., ISI administered a basic 33-question civic literacy test to a random sample of 2,508 American adults, ranging from those without high school diplomas to those with advanced degrees. Questions were drawn from past ISI surveys, as well as from nationally recognized exams such as the U.S. government’s citizenship test and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test. Respondents also were asked questions regarding their level of engagement in other activities that may or may not contribute to civic literacy. The average score for all Americans who took this straightforward civic literacy test is 49%, or an “F.” The survey discovered that civic literacy does improve the longer a person stays in school, but it improves too little and too inconsistently, especial-

2006 ISI Report

3

2007 ISI Report

ly in light of the tremendous resources devoted to American higher education. The average score for bachelor’s-degree recipients is 57%, and even Americans who hold advanced degrees only earn an average score of 65%. The purpose of this survey and ISI’s American Civic Literacy Program is not to disparage American higher education, but to hold it accountable and to encourage leaders inside and outside of the academy to consider possible reforms. When the commissioners met at Rockfish Gap in 1818, it turned out that the only real subject of contention was where the university should be located—not what its mission should be. They unanimously adopted Jefferson’s plan advocating an institution of higher learning that would develop civic leaders. An overwhelming majority of those surveyed for this report agree with Jefferson, saying they believe higher education should prepare citizen leaders by teaching students about our nation’s history and institutions. In light of this, the question that needs to be examined by faculty, administrators, trustees, donors, taxpayers, and elected officials is how this worthy goal is to be achieved for the students and parents who sacrifice so much for a proper college education.

Sincerely,

T. Kenneth Cribb Jr. Lt. General Josiah Bunting III President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute Chairman, National Civic Literacy Board

A Look Back at ISI’s 2007 College Rankings “ N E G ATIVE CIVIC LEAR N I N G” AT AMERI CA’S TO P U N I VERS ITIES L a s t Y e a r , ISI issued its second annual report to the nation examining exclusively the civic knowledge of college undergraduates. The report’s findings were based upon the results of a civic literacy test given to approximately 7,000 college freshmen and 7,000 college seniors at 50 randomly selected colleges. The test consisted of 60 multiplechoice questions about America’s history, political thought, foreign relations, and market economy and was designed to assess—along with the 2006 survey—the amount of civic learning actually occurring in college classrooms. In neither year did the average senior at any college score better than a “D+,” and even more disturbing, seniors did worse than freshmen at some of America’s most prestigious universities—Princeton, Duke, Yale, and Cornell—a phenomenon dubbed “negative learning.” Colleges Ranked Freshman Senior Value by Value Added+ Mean Mean Added

Colleges Ranked Freshman Senior Value by Value Added+ Mean Mean Added

1. Eastern Conn. State Univ.*

31.34% 40.99% +9.65%

26. University of Washington

51.63% 55.88% +4.25%

2. Marian College (WI)*

33.66

43.10

9.44

27. Gonzaga University (WA)

47.71

51.86

4.15

3. Murray State Univ. (KY)*

40.63

49.75

9.12

28. University of Rochester (NY)* 55.69

59.32

3.63

4. Concordia University (NE)* 46.29

55.28

8.99

29. Grove City College (PA)

63.64

67.26

3.62

5. St. Cloud State Univ. (MN)* 35.67

44.26

8.59

30. Georgia College & State U.* 40.28

43.68

3.40

6. Mississippi State University* 42.50

50.86

8.36

31. Bowdoin College (ME)

59.50

62.86

3.36

7. Pfeiffer University (NC)*

36.05

44.30

8.25

32. University of Georgia*

54.48

57.76

3.28

8. Illinois State University*

42.74

50.93

8.19

33. Carnegie Mellon University* 54.06

56.90

2.84

9. Iowa State University*

45.03

52.69

7.66

34. St. Thomas University (FL)* 29.75

32.50

2.75

10. University of Mississippi

41.87

49.32

7.45

35. Texas State Univ.–San Marcos* 41.25

43.99

2.74

11. Smith College (MA)

52.63

60.07

7.44

36. Texas A&M Intl. Univ.*

38.43

41.14

2.71

12. Rhodes College (TN)

53.76

61.18

7.42

37. George Mason Univ. (VA)

47.28

49.96

2.68

13. University of Montana*

45.54

52.16

6.62

38. University of Virginia

62.95

65.28

2.33

14. Idaho State University*

41.76

48.15

6.39

39. Brown University

63.42

65.64

2.22

15. University of Wisconsin

51.57

57.87

6.30

40. Wheaton College (IL)

62.87

64.98

2.11

16. Univ. of Southern Maine*

37.48

43.58

6.10

41. University of Pennsylvania

62.66

63.49

0.83

17. Harvard University

63.59

69.56

5.97

42. Univ. of Mass.–Amherst*

46.10

46.66

0.56

18. University of Notre Dame

55.66

61.25

5.59

43. Oakwood College (AL)*

35.17

34.69 -0.48

19. Mt. Vernon Nazarene (OH)* 40.04

44.60

4.56

44. Univ. of Cal.–Berkeley

57.03

56.27 -0.76

20. Washington & Lee University 62.46

66.98

4.52

45. Rutgers University*

50.93

49.99 -0.94

21. Calvin College (MI)

51.99

56.45

4.46

46. Princeton University

63.60

61.90 -1.70

22. University of Florida

48.96

53.40

4.44

47. St. John’s University (NY)*

41.69

39.82 -1.87

23. University of North Carolina 53.26

57.68

4.42

48. Duke University

65.66

63.41 -2.25

24. Univ. of Minn.–Twin Cities* 49.18

53.50

4.32

49. Yale University

68.94

65.85 -3.09

25. University of Michigan

51.00

4.32

50. Cornell University

61.90

56.95 -4.95

+

46.68

Value added equals the freshman mean score subtracted from the senior mean score * Randomly selected school

Our Fading Heritage Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions Contents Executive Summary

6

Major Findings Americans Fail the Test of Civic Literacy

9

Americans Agree: Colleges Should Teach America’s Heritage

11



College Adds Little to Civic Knowledge

12



Television—Including TV News—Dumbs America Down

14



What College Graduates Don’t Know About America

16

Additional Finding

Elected Officials Score Lower than the General Public

19

Conclusion

20

Survey development and Methodology

23

2008 American Civic Literacy Test

24

6

O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

O

Executive Summary

ur Fading Heritage: Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions is the third major study conducted by ISI on the kind of knowledge required for informed citizenship. In 2006 and 2007, ISI published the first ever scientific surveys of civic learning among college students. Each year, approximately 14,000 freshmen and seniors at 50 schools nationwide were given a 60-question, multiple-choice exam on basic knowledge of America’s heritage. Both years, the students failed. The average freshman scored 51.7% the first year and 51.4% the next. The average senior scored 53.2%, then 54.2%. After all the time, effort, and money spent on college, students emerge no better off in understanding the fundamental features of American self-government. This year, ISI sought to learn more about the realworld consequences of this collegiate failure. ISI crafted a study to measure the independent impact of college on the acquisition and maintenance of civic literacy over a lifetime. First, a random sample of 2,508 American adults of all backgrounds was surveyed, allowing comparisons to be made between the college and noncollege educated. They were asked 33 straightforward civics questions, many of which high school graduates and new citizens are expected to know. Respondents were also asked several questions concerning their participation in American civic life, their attitudes about perennial issues of American governance, and other behaviors that may or may not contribute to civic literacy. Finally, the results were run through multivariate regression analysis, allowing ISI to compare the civic

impact of college with that of other societal factors. Do Americans possess the knowledge necessary to participate wisely in the affairs of the nation? Read below to find out.

Major Findings Finding 1: Americans Fail the Test of Civic Literacy Seventy-one percent of Americans fail the test, with an overall average score of 49%. • Liberals score 49%; conservatives score 48%. Republicans score 52%; Democrats score 45%. • Fewer than half of all Americans can name all three branches of government, a minimal requirement for understanding America’s constitutional system. Finding 2: Americans Agree: Colleges Should Teach America’s Heritage Americans remain divided over many issues, but on one they have forged a deep consensus. A large majority agrees that colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching America’s history, key texts, and institutions. • Seventy-three percent in the West, 69% in the Midwest, 74% in the Northeast, and 74% in the South agree. • Seventy-four percent of conservatives agree, as do 71% of liberals. • Seventy-two percent with a high school diploma and 74% with a graduate degree agree.

The civic knowledge gained from engaging in frequent conversations about public affairs, reading about current events and history, and participating in more involved civic activities is greater than the gain from a bachelor’s degree alone.



Finding 3: College Adds Little to Civic Knowledge Earning a college degree does little to increase knowledge of America’s history, key texts, and institutions. The average score among those who ended their formal education with a bachelor’s degree is 57%, or an “F.” That is only 13 percentage points higher than the average score among those who ended their formal education with a high school diploma. • Only 24% of college graduates know the First Amendment prohibits establishing an official religion for the United States. Finding 4: Television—Including TV News—Dumbs America Down ISI examined whether other factors add to or subtract from civic literacy and how they compare with the impact of college. The survey revealed that in today’s technological age, all else remaining equal, a person’s test score drops in proportion to the time he or she spends using certain types of passive electronic media. Talking on the phone, watching owned or rented movies, and monitoring TV news broadcasts and documentaries diminish a respondent’s civic literacy. In contrast to these negative influences, the civic knowledge gained from the inexpensive combination of engaging in frequent conversations about public affairs, reading about current events and history, and participating in more involved civic activities is greater than the gain from an expensive bachelor’s degree alone. Finding 5: What College Graduates Don’t Know About America By the time an American earns a bachelor’s degree, it is highly unlikely that he or she will have a solid command of the founding and Civil War eras, core constitutional principles, and market economics. Pre-college education tends to increase knowledge of themes from twentieth-century American history at the expense of economics and pre-twentieth-century themes that tend to be the foundation of much subsequent political discourse. Colleges begin to reverse

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this trend, but not enough to close significant gaps in these crucial categories of civic knowledge. • Only 54% can correctly identify a basic description of the free enterprise system, in which all Americans participate. Additional Finding: Elected Officials Score Lower than the General Public Officeholders typically have less civic knowledge than the general public. On average, they score 44%, five percentage points lower than non-officeholders. • Thirty percent of elected officials do not know that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence. Conclusion: A Call to Reform ISI calls on administrators, trustees, donors, faculty, parents, and elected officials to reevaluate curricula and standards of accountability so that colleges can better prepare their graduates for the responsibilities of informed citizenship. • Do colleges require courses in American history, politics, economics, and other core areas? • Do colleges assess the civic or overall learning of their graduates? • Do elected officials link college appropriations to real measures of civic or overall learning? • Do parents make college selection choices based upon a school’s actual academic performance?

After all the time, effort, and money spent on college, students emerge no better off in understanding the fundamental features of American self-government.

7

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O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

The Average N at i onwi de G r ade o n t h e Civic Li te r acy T e st i s an “ F ” A m e r i c a n s nationwide fail the civic literacy test, scoring an average of 49%, or an “F.” This table shows the average score achieved by various groups. Score by Parental Status

Overall average

Mean score for all surveyed

49%

Has one child or more Has no children

48% 50

Score by age

18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 64 65+

47 46 49 52 46

Score by Income

Less than $30,000 $30,000 to $50,000 $50,000 to $75,000 $75,000 to $100,000 $100,000+

40 46 51 55 55

Score by Gender

Male Female

52 45

Score by RACE/Ethnicity

White Black Hispanic Asian Multiracial Other

51 40 38 42 49 42

Democrat Republican Independent Other

45 52 52 46

Score by Political ideology

Liberal Moderate Conservative

49 51 48

Score by Military Service

Score by Marital Status

Married Single Divorced or separated

Score by Party Identification

51 48 47

Active or reserve Never served

51 48

Score by Church Attendance

Almost 40% of Americans falsely believe the president has the power to declare war.

More than once a week Once a week Once or twice a month Seldom Never

48 48 49 51 50



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Finding 1

I

Americans Fail the Test of Civic Literacy

F There is any presidential speech that has captured a place in popular culture, it is the Gettysburg Address, seemingly recited by school children for decades. The truth is, however, Lincoln’s most memorable words are now remembered by very few. Of the 2,508 Americans taking ISI’s civic literacy test, 71% fail. Nationwide, the average score on the test is only 49%. The vast majority cannot recognize the language of Lincoln’s famous speech. The test, reprinted on pages 24 to 27 of this report, contains 33 questions designed to measure knowledge of America’s founding principles, political history, international relations, and market economy. Twenty-seven questions are multiple choice; six are fill-in-the-blank. While the questions vary in difficulty, most test basic knowledge. Six are borrowed from U.S. government naturalization exams that test knowledge expected of all new American citizens. Nine are taken from the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests that the U.S. Department of Education uses to assess high school seniors. Three are drawn from an “American History 101” exam posted online by www.InfoPlease.com. Two were developed especially for this survey and the rest were drawn from ISI’s previous civic literacy tests. The results reveal that Americans are alarmingly uninformed about our Constitution, the basic functions of our government, the key texts of our national history, and economic principles.

• Americans age 25 to 34 score an average of 46% on the exam; Americans age 65 and over score 46%. • Americans earning an annual income between $30,000 and $50,000 score an average of 46%; Americans earning over $100,000 score 55%. • Liberals score an average of 49%; conservatives score 48%. • Americans who go to church once a week score an average of 48%; Americans who never go to church score 50%.

• 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

Widespread ignorance of our nation’s history and institutions is a worrisome sign for our nation’s future. As we shall see, today’s Americans share the conviction of the Founding Fathers that civic education is important—and they are right in this conviction. Respondents who score in the top third in civic literacy, the survey shows, are more likely than those who score poorly on the test to participate in the civic life of their communities and country.

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. Americans from all age groups, income brackets, and political ideologies fail the test of civic literacy.

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10 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

A N AT I O NAL CO NSE NSUS ON CIVIC LITERACY While Americans have sharply disagreed on many significant issues of public policy in recent years, they maintain a broad national consensus on the importance of civic literacy. Large majorities in all regions of the country and in diverse demographic groups agree that colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching students about America’s history, key texts, and institutions.

Co lle g es should p repare c itize n leaders by teach ing Am erica’ s h is to ry, key te xts, and in stitutions

NorthEas t 7 4 % A gre e

MidW e st 6 9 % A gre e Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Wes t 7 3 % Agree Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

49% 24 19 5 4

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

47% 22 21 5 5

47% 27 17 4 5

South 7 4 % A gre e Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

54% 20 17 4 5

Consensus by education, age, Race/ethnicity, Gender, and Ideology EDUCATION LEVEL AGE < High High College Grad. School School Grad. Degree 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 64 65+

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

49% 50% 20 21 16 18 5 4 7 5

48% 26 18 4 4

49% 25 18 4 4

40% 27 23 4 4

49% 23 19 4 4

52% 23 17 6 3

48% 57% 22 18 20 13 3 5 6 6

Race/ETHNICITY Gender Political Ideology Black White Hispanic Male Female Liberal Conservative

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

53% 14 18 4 8

49% 23 18 4 4

42% 28 21 4 3

48% 23 18 4 5

50% 22 18 5 4

44% 26 20 4 5

56% 18 17 3 6



www.americancivicliteracy.org 11

Finding 2

A

Americans Agree: Colleges Should Teach America’s Heritage mericans have been so deeply divided over some issues of public policy in recent years that we now live in what are popularly known as “red states” and “blue states.” On at least one significant question, however, we have forged a deep consensus. In all regions and strata of the country, large majorities agree that colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching America’s history, key texts, and institutions. We believe this whether we are young or old, rich or poor, liberal or conservative. We believe this whether we are male or female; black, white, or Hispanic. We believe this whether we have served in the military or not, and whether we attend church regularly or seldom. The belief that colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching our nation’s history and institutions is embraced both by those who never attended college and by those with advanced degrees. Virtually the same percentage of Americans who failed the civic literacy test believe it is important for colleges to instill civic knowledge. Of the 2,508 people surveyed, 72% agree that colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching students about America. Eighteen percent are neutral on the question. Only 9% disagree. This consensus is embraced by every neighborhood in our national community.

• Americans in all geographical regions agree that colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching students America’s history, key texts, and institutions. This includes 73% in the West, 69% in the Midwest, 74% in the Northeast, and 74% in the South. • Seventy-four percent of conservatives agree and 71% of liberals. • Seventy-two percent of women agree and 71% of men. • Seventy percent of Hispanics agree, as do 67% of blacks and 72% of whites.

• Seventy-three percent between ages 25 and 34 agree, as do 76% age 65 or older. • Seventy percent earning less than $30,000 per year agree, as do 71% earning more than $100,000. • Seventy-five percent of those who have served in the military agree, as do 72% of those who have not served in the military. • Seventy-two percent of Americans who go to church more than once a week agree, as do 71% who seldom go to church. • Seventy-two percent with only a high school diploma agree as do 74% of those holding graduate degrees. The survey gives some indication of why Americans have formed this consensus. Seventy-three percent say a person’s evaluation of a nation improves with his or her understanding of it, while 61% affirm that our founding documents remain vital to the civic life of our nation. We have seen that this modern consensus is in accord with the thinking of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. It is also in accord with that of Benjamin Franklin. When Franklin first proposed founding a college in Philadelphia, he noted that all nations must establish “such Seminaries of Learning as might supply the succeeding Age with Men qualified to serve the Publick with Honour to themselves and to their Country.” Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, and seven out of ten Americans today agree: colleges should prepare citizen leaders.

12 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

Finding 3

E

College Adds Little to Civic Knowledge

arning a college degree does little to increase knowledge of America’s history, key texts, and institutions. The average score on the American civic literacy exam for those who ended their formal education with a bachelor’s degree is 57%, or an “F.” That is only 13 percentage points higher than the average score earned by those who hold high school, but not college, diplomas. College graduates in all age brackets—except Baby Boomers (ages 45 to 64)—typically earn an “F” on the exam. Baby Boomers who ended their formal education with a bachelor’s degree score an average of 61%, or a “D-.” On average, Americans who ended their formal education when they graduated from high school correctly answer 14.4 of the 33 questions on the

The average score for the college graduates who took ISI’s American civic literacy exam was 57%, an “F.” That was only 13 percentage points higher than the 44% earned by those who hold high school, but not college, diplomas.

exam. Those who ended their formal education when they graduated from college typically answer 18.9 of the questions correctly. An American with a four-year college degree, in other words, typically gains only about one correct answer for each year in college. Only one in five college graduates earns a “C” or better on the exam, and only 42% of those with graduate degrees earn a “C” or better. Thirty-two percent of those with graduate degrees fail. Holding a college diploma does not guarantee that a person will know the most fundamental facts of American history or how our system of government works. • Thirty-six percent of college graduates cannot name all three branches of government, required knowledge on the U.S. citizenship exam. Remarkably, that is the same percentage of first-time citizenship applicants who answer this question correctly.* • Only 26% of college graduates know that the phrase “a wall of separation” between church and state comes from Thomas Jefferson’s letters. Fifty-two percent falsely believe it is found in the Constitution. • Only 33% of college graduates know the Bill of Rights expressly prohibits establishing an official religion for the United States. • Eighteen percent of college graduates cannot name a single right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment. • Only 54% of college graduates correctly define free enterprise as a system in which individual citizens create, exchange, and control goods and services. Thirteen percent believe it is a system in which demand and supply are decided through majority vote. • Thirty-two percent of college graduates falsely believe the president has the power to declare war. * U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Naturalization Test Redesign Project Report, January 2008.



www.americancivicliteracy.org 13

Undergraduates Fail Average score by highest academic degree attained

• Only 24% of college graduates know that the main issue in the Lincoln–Douglas debates was whether slavery should be allowed to expand into new territories. • College graduates also do little better than high school graduates in distinguishing between the Gettysburg Address and the Declaration of Independence. Only 24% of college graduates (compared to 21% of high school graduates) know that the phrase “government of the people, by the people, for the people” comes from President Lincoln’s immortal speech. Forty-eight percent of college graduates (compared to 41% of high school graduates) incorrectly believe it comes from the Declaration. American taxpayers are extraordinarily generous with American colleges. In fiscal year 2005—according to data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics—federal, state, and local government gave $114 billion to public colleges and $17 billion to private colleges. What do the taxpayers, many of whom cannot afford to send their own children to college, receive in return for this investment? Given that 71% believe colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching students America’s history, key texts, and institutions, it is clear that they are not getting what they expect or what they deserve.

Thirty-six percent of college graduates cannot name all three branches of government, required knowledge on the U.S. citizenship exam. Remarkably, that is the same percentage of first-time citizenship applicants who answer this question correctly.

Highest Degree Average Score

Doctorate Master’s Undergraduate High School No High School

72% 64 57 44 35

Baby Boomers Do Best: They earn a “D-” Average score by age for those who ended their formal education with a bachelor’s degree



Age Average Score

18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 64 65+

59% 54 54 61 59

Public, Private, and Religious Colleges Do Equally Poorly Average score by type of four-year college for those who ended their formal education with a bachelor’s degree

College Type Average Score

State University Private Secular University Religious University

58% 58 58

Do America’s Founding Documents Still Matter? Among respondents who ended their formal education with a bachelor’s degree, those who think America’s founding documents still matter score higher on the test than those who don’t Average Opinion Score Agree or strongly agree that America’s founding documents remain relevant

60%

Disagree or strongly disagree that America’s founding documents remain relevant

48

14 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

Finding 4

I

Television—Including TV News—Dumbs America Down n order to help isolate the impact a college degree has on civic literacy, ISI examined additional factors that might add to or subtract from an individual’s civic knowledge. The survey results were put through a regression analysis to determine whether various behaviors in a respondent’s life had a unique, statistically significant impact on his or her civic knowledge. The multiple-regression analysis indicated that a person’s test score drops in proportion to the time he or she spends using certain types of passive electronic media. Talking on the phone, watching owned or rented movies, and even monitoring TV news broadcasts and documentaries diminishes a respondent’s civic literacy. Actively seeking knowledge through print media and high-quality conversations has the opposite effect. Reading about history and current events in books,

magazines, and newspapers—and talking about these subjects with family and friends—increases a respondent’s civic literacy. In fact, an American who lacks a college degree but has initiative and desire—and who does not spend too much time watching TV and talking on the phone—can acquire more civic knowledge than a couch potato with a college degree. While earning a bachelor’s degree increases civic knowledge more than any other single factor (+6.9% on the test), the civic knowledge gained from engaging in frequent conversations about public affairs, reading about current events and history, and participating in more involved civic activities is greater than the gain from a bachelor’s degree alone. • Frequently discussing public affairs and history with family and friends adds 5.5% to a

The C o u c h P otato Ph en o m en o n THi s Ta b l e shows the change in a respondent’s test score associated with six selected behaviors in his or her life. Change in Behavior Civic Knowledge positive influence OF ACTIVE LEARNING Frequently discussing current events and public affairs (Daily or weekly as opposed to monthly, rarely, or never)

+5.5%

Participating in more involved or advanced politics (Nine items ranging from signing a petition to contacting a public official)

+1.7 per action

Reading history or current events in books, newspapers, or magazines

+0.1 per hour per week

Negative influence OF PASSIVE ELECTRONIC MEDIUM Watching movies you own or rent

-0.14 per hour per week

Visiting on the telephone

-0.10 per hour per week

Watching television news or documentaries

-0.08 per hour per week



www.americancivicliteracy.org 15

Respondents who scored in the top third in civic literacy were more likely than those who scored poorly to participate in the civic life of their communities. respondent’s score on the civic literacy test. • Reading about history and current events in books, magazines, and newspapers for an average of 15 hours per week adds 1.5% to a respondent’s score. • Americans who make habits of both frequently conversing about public affairs and history and also reading about these subjects for an average of 15 hours per week increase their civic knowledge by 7%— slightly more than the 6.9% gained from earning a college degree. • More involved political activities (beyond merely voting)—such as attending a political rally, giving money to a political campaign, signing a petition, or publishing a letter to the editor—are also associated with higher test scores. A respondent’s score increases by 1.7% for each one of these activities. This finding corroborates a key finding of ISI’s previous civic literacy surveys that greater learning about America goes handin-hand with more active citizenship.

• Twenty-four-hour cable news channels are not a boon to civic knowledge. Respondents lose 0.08% on their test score for each hour they spend each week watching TV news programs and documentaries. • Electronic media is not all bad. Active use of the Internet is positively correlated with higher test scores. Respondents who frequently explore social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace score higher than respondents who do not. Interestingly, the analysis also discovered that people who do better on the civic literacy test also do better financially, even when holding constant their educational attainment. The survey suggests that teachers at all levels of the educational system can improve the civic literacy of Americans by inspiring in them a lifelong love of learning. Colleges in particular can increase their contribution to civic literacy by encouraging students to read independently, to reduce their time using telephones and watching TV, and to participate in civic life.

Pau l a A b d u l B eats Ho n es t A b e Respondents were asked if they could name the three judges on last year’s popular American Idol television program. Paula Abdul turned out to be the most well-known. Over twice as many people knew she was a judge on American Idol as know that the phrase “government of the people, by the people, for the people” comes from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

© Getty Images

Named Abdul as a judge on American Idol Recognized phrase from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

56% 21%

16 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

Finding 5

W

What College Graduates Don’t Know About America hen The REV. Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 and delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, he did not condemn the principles of America’s founding, he confirmed them: “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.” Nor did King neglect the memory of the president whose marble likeness sat behind him. Echoing the Gettysburg Address, King urged the nation to recall what Lincoln did: “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.”

From the Birmingham jail that same year, King pointed Americans back to the philosophical roots of Jefferson’s Declaration: “To put it in terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law.” King saw a vital line running through Aquinas, Jefferson, and Lincoln to Americans answering the call of the civil rights movement. The results of this survey today suggest that this line of historical memory King so powerfully evoked is beginning to fade among college graduates. • Almost 90% know “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration. But

What College Graduates Don’t Know About America T h i s R a nking shows that those who ended their formal education with a bachelor’s degree have significant trouble with questions on the founding and Civil War eras, constitutional themes, and market economics. % % Rank/Theme of Question Correct Rank/Theme of Question Correct

1. Free Markets vs. Centralized Planning 2. The Puritans 3. Gettysburg Address 4. Lincoln–Douglas Debates 5. Source of phrase “a wall of separation” 6. FDR and the Supreme Court 7. Taxes and Government Spending 8. Action Prohibited by the Bill of Rights 9. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas 10. Definition of a Public Good 11. Fiscal Policy for Economic Stimulus 12. Anti-Federalists and the Constitution 13. International Trade 14. Definition of Free Enterprise 15. Policy Tool of the Federal Reserve 16. Business Profit 17. Abortion

16.94% 23.44 23.73 24.21 26.28 29.74 31.37 32.83 33.57 34.12 42.99 43.77 47.47 53.47 56.52 60.01 62.08

18. Power to Declare War 19. Three Branches of Government 20. Definition of a Progressive Tax 21. Federal Branches and Foreign Policy 22. U.S. – Soviet Tension in 1962 23. World War II Enemies 24. Electoral College 25. FDR’s Government Programs 26. Scopes “Monkey Trial” 27. Sputnik 28. First Amendment Freedoms 29. M. L. King’s “I Have a Dream” 30. Powers of the Federal Government 31. Susan B. Anthony 32. Commander in Chief 33. Declaration of Independence

62.66% 64.43 64.48 67.78 75.47 77.71 78.19 79.20 81.32 81.80 82.22 85.26 85.56 87.24 89.61 89.85



www.americancivicliteracy.org 17

College Graduates’ Economic Illiteracy only 34% know Aristotle and Aquinas would concur in the basic principle that “certain permanent moral and political truths are accessible to human reason.” • Eighty-two percent can name at least one right or freedom in the First Amendment, but only 24% know the main issue of the Lincoln–Douglas debates was whether slavery should be allowed to expand into new territories. • Eighty-five percent know King’s “I Have a Dream” speech expressed his hope for racial justice, but only 24% recognize the language of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Overall, the survey shows that bachelor’s-degree holders tend to know twentieth-century American history better than free-market economics and themes that pre-date the twentieth century, especially constitutional principles and the founding and Civil War eras. This is partly due to a bias toward twentieth-century themes in pre-college education, and although there is evidence that colleges begin to reverse this bias, earning a bachelor’s degree does not close this significant gap in civic knowledge. “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream,” King said at the Lincoln Memorial. “It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.” To keep that dream alive, colleges must do a better job teaching our historical and philosophical foundations.

“When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.” – Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

A r e C o l l e g e G r a d uat e s prepared to deliberate wisely on the free market and public policy? This chart details how graduates did on some fundamental economics questions, and includes the most popular incorrect answer for each question. Whether the question concerns “the Fed,” fiscal policy, trade, or free enterprise in general, “College Joe” appears to be economically illiterate. Which of the following is a policy tool of the Federal Reserve? • 56.5% answered correctly • 20.7% selected the incorrect answer: Increasing or decreasing government spending International trade and specialization most often lead to which of the following? • 47.5% answered correctly • 20.9% selected the incorrect answer: A decrease in a nation’s economic growth in the long term Free enterprise or capitalism exists insofar as: • 53.5% answered correctly • 13.4% selected the incorrect answer: Government implements policies that favor businesses over consumers Business profit is: • 60.0% answered correctly • 14.1% selected the incorrect answer: Assets minus liabilities Which of the following fiscal policy combinations would a government most likely follow to stimulate economic activity when the economy is in a severe recession? • 43.0% answered correctly • 35.2% selected the incorrect answer: Decreasing both taxes and spending Free markets typically secure more economic prosperity than government’s centralized planning because: • 16.9% answered correctly • 40.8% selected the incorrect answer: More tax revenue can be generated from free enterprise

18 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

Are You Sma rter Than a P oli t i ci an ? o f t h e 2 , 5 0 8 Pe o p l e surveyed, 164 say they have held an elected government office at least once in their life. Their average score on the civic literacy test is 44%, compared to 49% for those who have not held an elected office. Officeholders are less likely than other respondents to correctly answer 29 of the 33 test questions. This table shows the “knowledge gap” for each question: the difference between the percentage of common citizens who answered correctly and the percentage of officeholders who answered correctly. Elected Theme of Question Citizens politicians

Knowledge Gap

1. U.S. – Soviet Tension in 1962

70.09%

56.51%

-13.58%

2. Declaration of Independence

83.09

69.78

-13.31

3. Sputnik

74.10

62.82

-11.28

4. Definition of Free Enterprise

41.45

32.08

-9.37

5. M. L. King’s “I Have a Dream”

80.50

71.50

-9.00

6. Electoral College

65.88

57.31

-8.57

7. Scopes “Monkey Trial”

67.76

59.21

-8.55

8. Susan B. Anthony

80.84

72.98

-7.86

9.

53.60

45.82

-7.78

10. Business Profit

49.11

41.38

-7.73

11. International Trade

37.47

30.45

-7.02

12. FDR’s Government Programs

66.63

59.73

-6.90

13. Abortion

50.77

43.94

-6.83

14. Federal Branches and Foreign Policy

54.71

48.39

-6.32

15. First Amendment Freedoms

79.58

73.32

-6.26

16. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas

29.49

23.29

-6.20

17. FDR and the Supreme Court

25.07

19.24

-5.83

18. Taxes and Government Spending

27.70

22.12

-5.58

19. Free Markets vs. Centralized Planning

16.25

10.71

-5.54

20. Action Prohibited by the Bill of Rights

26.41

21.24

-5.17

21. Commander in Chief

79.04

74.46

-4.58

22. Anti-Federalists and the Constitution

38.22

33.82

-4.40

23. Source of phrase “a wall of separation”

18.92

15.07

-3.85

24. Policy Tool of the Federal Reserve

43.12

40.48

-2.64

25. Powers of the Federal Government

75.01

72.69

-2.32

26. World War II Enemies

68.76

66.58

-2.18

27. The Puritans

19.10

17.32

-1.78

28. Definition of a Progressive Tax

51.26

49.97

-1.29

29. Three Branches of Government

49.65

49.32

-0.33

30. Definition of a Public Good

27.60

28.03

0.43

31. Gettysburg Address

21.06

22.95

1.89

32. Fiscal Policy for Economic Stimulus

36.07

39.93

3.86

33. Lincoln–Douglas Debates

19.06

23.62

4.56

Power to Declare War



www.americancivicliteracy.org 19

Additional Finding

T

Elected Officials Score Lower than the General Public

he ISI civic Literacy survey was not designed to test the civic knowledge of elected officials, but it did discover evidence of an interesting pattern that may merit further exploration. All survey respondents were asked whether they have ever engaged in any of 13 different political and civic activities. These included, for example, registering to vote, signing a petition, contacting a public official, publishing a letter to the editor, and whether they have ever been elected to a government office. Among the 2,508 respondents, 164 say they have been elected to a government office at least once. This sub-sample of officeholders yields a startling result: elected officials score lower than the general public. Those who have held elective office earn an average score of 44% on the civic literacy test, which is five percentage points lower than the average score of 49% for those who have never been elected. It would be most interesting to explore whether this statistically significant result is maintained across larger samples of elected officials. The elected officeholders come from the ranks of Democrats (40%), Republicans (31%), Independents (21%), and those who say they belong to no party or indicate no affiliation (8%). None were asked to specify what office they held, so the proportion in which they held local, state, or federal positions is unknown. Not all officeholders do poorly, of course. Some elected officials rank among the highest scorers. But the failure rate on the test among those who have won public office is higher (74%) than among those who have not (71%). Officeholders scored lower on all sub-themes of the test: political history, cultural institutions, foreign relations, and market economy. In each of the following areas, for example, officeholders do more poorly than non-officeholders: • Seventy-nine percent of those who have been elected to government office do not know the Bill of Rights expressly prohibits establishing an official religion for the U.S.

• Thirty percent do not know that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence. • Twenty-seven percent cannot name even one right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment. • Forty-three percent do not know what the Electoral College does. One in five thinks it either “trains those aspiring for higher political office” or “was established to supervise the first televised presidential debates.” • Fifty-four percent do not know the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war. Thirty-nine percent think that power belongs to the president, and 10% think it belongs to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. • Only 32% can properly define the free enterprise system, and only 41% can identify business profit as “revenue minus expenses.” On some questions, Americans who have held elected office do better than Americans who have not. They are a little more likely, for example, to recognize the language of the Gettysburg Address (23% to 21%) and to know that the question of whether slavery should be allowed to expand into new territories was the main issue in the Lincoln–Douglas debates (25% to 20%). Officeholders and non-officeholders find it equally difficult to identify the three branches of government. Only 49% of each group can name the legislative, executive, and judicial.

20 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

Conclusion

W

A Call to Reform hen jefferson, Madison, and other leading Virginians signed the plan for the University of Virginia, they knew it needed to be compelling to the legislature that commissioned it. For the university to have a claim to state funding, it needed a public purpose. The principle still applies. Given that most citizens never attend college, what do they get from subsidizing it? One benefit envisioned by Jefferson and Madison was that the university would preserve the nation’s memory and increase its general store of knowledge. “And it cannot be but that each generation succeeding to the knowledge acquired by all those who preceded it, adding to it their own acquisitions and discoveries, and handing the mass down for successive and constant accumulation, must advance the knowledge and well-being of mankind,” said the Rockfish Gap report. These Founding Fathers also restated their conviction that the university would create leaders to preserve liberty: “Nor must we omit to mention, among the benefits of education, the incalculable advantage of training up able counselors to administer the affairs of our country in all its departments—legislative, executive, and judiciary—and to bear their proper share in the councils of our national government; nothing more than education advancing the prosperity, the power, and the happiness of the nation.” To this end, Jefferson and Madison later led the

university’s board of visitors in making specific proposals for the civics curriculum. It included works by John Locke and Algernon Sidney for “the general principles of liberty,” the Declaration of Independence for the “distinctive principles” of the U.S. government, The Federalist for the “genuine meaning” of the U.S. Constitution, and Washington’s Farewell Address for “political lessons of peculiar value.” This ISI report—Our Fading Heritage: Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions— demonstrates that Americans today expect no less from our colleges than the founders did. A majority believes that colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching America’s heritage. It also demonstrates that colleges are not fulfilling this mission. Americans fail the test of civic literacy—even if they have a bachelor’s degree. ISI’s previous civic literacy surveys have discovered that greater civic learning goes hand-in-hand with more active citizenship, and we found the same phenomenon this year: Americans who fulfill their civic obligations beyond voting are more knowledgeable about their country’s history and institutions. This is an important finding, and ISI will be exploring the nexus between civic knowledge and civic participation in a more detailed fashion in future reports. Our Fading Heritage also discovered that particular attitudes about America’s founding documents and principles are highly correlated with a respondent’s level of civic knowledge, suggesting that there may be further relationships between the amount of civic knowledge a student gains while at college and his or her particular beliefs about America’s institutions, beliefs that are formed both before and during the college experience. This relationship will also receive closer attention in forthcoming ISI studies. But we have already learned the unsettling truth that although Jefferson and Madison expected colleges to train able administrators for the “legislative, executive, and judiciary,” many college graduates today cannot even name the three branches of government.



ISI therefore calls upon administrators, trustees, faculty, donors, taxpayers, parents, and elected officials to reevaluate collegiate curricula and standards of accountability. For example: • Do colleges require courses in American history, politics, economics, and other core areas? • Do colleges assess the civic or overall learning of their graduates? • Do elected officials link college appropriations to real measures of civic or overall learning? • Do parents make college selection choices based upon a school’s actual academic performance? For the past three years, ISI has documented the failure of America’s institutions of higher learning to transmit to their students a basic understanding of the fundamental history, texts, and institutions of the American republic. For too long, America’s colleges and universities have been evaluated not on their actual academic performance, but primarily on their past prestige and endowments. Now that the verdict of failure is in, and with tuitions continuing to skyrocket, it is time for leaders inside and outside of the academy with a stake in the future of American higher education to roll up their sleeves and get to work addressing the shortcomings documented in ISI’s civic literacy reports. The time for reform is now, and ISI looks forward to working with all citizens of good will eager to improve the quality of collegiate civic education. Jefferson and Madison hoped to persuade decision-makers in their era to found a college. ISI hopes to have success in re-founding Jefferson and Madison’s vision for higher education. And there is plenty at stake. If we fail to teach our children how American freedom was established and preserved, we cannot expect them to pass it on to future generations.

www.americancivicliteracy.org 21

I S I G r at e f u l ly t h a nk s t h e f o l l owing s u pp o rt e r s o f t h e A m e r i c a n Ci v i c Li t e r a c y P ro g r a m The Armstrong Foundation Mr. and Mrs. J. Bayard Boyle Jr. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Challenge Foundation Chase Foundation of Virginia The Cortopassi Institute The Hon. and Mrs. W. L. Hanley Jr. Thornton D. and Elizabeth S. Hooper Foundation The Huston Foundation The JM Foundation Garvey Kansas Foundation F. M. Kirby Foundation Koret Foundation Philip M. McKenna Foundation Sarah Scaife Foundation Stuart Family Foundation John Templeton Foundation Mr. Richard W. Weekley

The printing of this report was made possible, in part, thanks to the generous support of Mr. Michael Jude Lopitz.

22 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

W e ig ht ing Ca lcul at i on s Total U.S. Total Survey No. % No. % Total

225,633,342

Male 18 to 24 years Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Male 25 to 34 years Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Male 35 to 44 years Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Male 45 to 64 years Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Male 65 years & older Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree

15,326,044 8,714,397 5,571,125 976,599 63,923 20,249,512 9,520,735 5,542,208 3,818,398 1,368,171 21,948,874 9,997,142 5,709,650 4,019,304 2,222,778 36,554,880 15,702,808 9,821,354 6,432,329 4,598,389 15,606,675 8,683,778 3,082,484 2,031,268 1,809,145

6.79% 3.86 2.47 0.43 0.03 8.97 4.22 2.46 1.69 0.61 9.73 4.43 2.53 1.78 0.99 16.20 6.96 4.35 2.85 2.04 6.92 3.85 1.37 0.90 0.80

Female 18 to 24 years Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Female 25 to 34 years Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Female 35 to 44 years Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Female 45 to 64 years Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Female 65 years & older Less than HS or HS Graduate Some College or Associates Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree

14,374,474 6,684,718 6,172,281 1,400,582 116,893 19,656,087 7,214,157 6,119,037 4,485,475 1,837,418 21,943,757 8,410,784 6,772,537 4,524,048 2,236,388 38,388,710 16,582,096 11,414,003 6,280,367 4,112,244 21,584,329 14,258,549 4,210,607 1,904,998 1,210,175

6.37 2.96 2.74 0.62 0.05 8.71 3.20 2.71 1.99 0.81 9.73 3.73 3.00 2.01 0.99 17.01 7.35 5.06 2.78 1.82 9.57 6.32 1.87 0.84 0.54

Weight Weight Weight White Black Other

2,508 80 41 19 3

3.19% 1.63 0.76 0.12

1.10 1.40 0.55 0.23

1.80 2.22 0.01 0.00

1.20 1.50 0.57 0.24

57 48 49 32

2.27 1.91 1.95 1.28

1.70 1.20 0.83 0.01

2.70 1.90 1.30 0.02

1.80 1.20 0.87 0.48

47 47 83 48

1.87 1.87 3.31 1.91

2.00 1.30 0.03 0.02

3.25 2.00 0.05 0.03

2.00 1.30 0.54 0.51

134 90 103 79

5.34 3.59 4.11 3.15

1.20 1.10 0.04 0.03

1.90 1.80 1.00 0.05

1.30 1.20 0.69 0.65

80 52 51 55

3.19 2.07 2.03 2.19

1.10 0.02 0.02 0.02

1.80 0.03 0.03 0.03

1.20 0.66 0.44 0.37

68 43 17 3

2.71 1.71 0.68 0.12

0.03 1.50 0.01 0.00

1.50 2.22 0.01 0.00

1.00 1.60 0.92 0.43

49 44 50 28

1.95 1.75 1.99 1.12

1.50 1.40 0.02 0.01

2.22 2.22 1.50 1.10

1.60 1.50 1.00 0.73

61 42 57 46

2.43 1.67 2.27 1.83

1.40 1.70 0.02 0.02

2.22 2.45 1.30 0.03

1.50 1.70 0.88 0.54

161 133 107 87

6.42 5.30 4.27 3.47

0.06 0.05 0.04 0.03

1.75 1.40 0.07 0.05

1.10 0.95 0.65 0.53

122 59 51 31

4.86 2.35 2.03 1.24

0.05 0.02 0.02 0.01

1.90 1.20 0.03 0.02

1.30 0.79 0.42 0.43



www.americancivicliteracy.org 23

Survey development and Methodology Survey Question Development The total survey consisted of 118 questions. Thirtythree of these questions tested for respondents’ civic knowledge, while the remaining questions secured information on their public philosophy (39 questions), civic behavior (29), and demographics (17). Drs. Kenneth Dautrich, Richard Brake, and Gary Scott coordinated the development of these questions through a rigorous process of independent consultation, validity analyses, and scholarly review. Thirteen of the 33 knowledge questions are taken from previous ISI surveys developed by ISI faculty advisors from universities around the country who are listed on page 28. Nine of the civic knowledge questions are taken from the U.S. Department of Education’s 12th grade NAEP test, and six from the U.S. naturalization exam. Two new knowledge questions were developed especially for this new survey and three are drawn from an “American History 101” exam posted online by www.InfoPlease.com. Additional consultation and scholarly review concerning survey question development and final formulation were secured from members of the National Civic Literacy Board, listed on page 29, and members of ISI’s professional staff. Interview Technique and Sample Size The research approach used to conduct this survey features a national random-digit-dial (RDD) sampling design. A total of 2,508 American adults were included in the sampling. They were interviewed by telephone from April 17 to May 10, 2008. The margin of error for the sample of 2,508 adults is +/- 2.0 percentage points at the 95% level of confidence. When reporting on subgroups of adults (e.g., men, women, college graduates, etc.), the sampling error is higher. The sampling and interview methodology was designed by Dr. Kenneth Dautrich at the University of Connecticut. Survey Population The telephone survey data can be taken to represent a probability sample of all individuals who reside in

households with residential telephone service in the United States. Randomized Sample Selection The RDD telephone component generated random samples of telephone households in the United States. Within each telephone household, one respondent was chosen utilizing the modified Trodahl/Carter inhouse selection technique. We asked for the youngest male first, then if not available, the youngest female. This technique removes the control of the person answering the telephone deciding who participates in the survey. For this study, Braun Research, Inc., was commissioned to conduct the telephone data collection utilizing RDD sampling through Survey Sampling International (SSI). Using SSI’s standard RDD methodology, a sample was drawn with a sample size equal to the number of completed interviews. Weighting In order to make appropriate projections to the survey population, weight has been applied to the data. Weight represents a compound probability that adjusts a sample to match the population characteristics of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States. The weighting process adjusts for error inherent in the sampling methodology. The frame of the general population was aligned to the national population, as taken from the 2006 American Community Survey, and a weight was applied based on age, gender, education, and race. The full weighting calculations are detailed on the opposite page. Analyses and Report Writing The various diagnostics and statistical analyses of the raw data matrix, including statistical inferences based upon multiple regression analyses, were independently conducted and then jointly corroborated by Dr. Kenneth Dautrich at the University of Connecticut and Dr. Gary Scott at ISI. ISI visiting fellow Terence Jeffrey provided the technical writing for this report.

24 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

2008 Civic LIteracy Test Are you more knowledgeable than the average citizen?

The average score for all 2,508 Americans taking the following test was 49%; college educators scored 55%. Can you do better? Questions were drawn from past ISI surveys, as well as other nationally recognized exams. Go to www.americancivicliteracy.org to take the test online and see the detailed results for each question.

Political History 1. Which of the following are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence? a. life, liberty, and property b. honor, liberty, and peace c. liberty, health, and community d. life, respect, and equal protection e. life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness 2. In 1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed a series of government programs that became known as: a. the Great Society b. the Square Deal c. the New Deal d. the New Frontier e. supply-side economics 3. What are the three branches of government?

Source: Old Naturalization Exam, U.S. History and Government, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, No. 20, www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/Flashcard_questions.pdf

4. What was the main issue in the debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in 1858? a. Is slavery morally wrong? b. Should slavery be allowed to expand to new territories?

c. Do Southern states have the constitutional right to leave the union? d. Are free African Americans citizens of the United States? 2006 NAEP U.S. History Test of 12th Graders, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/itmrls/startsearch.asp

5. The United States Electoral College: a. trains those aspiring for higher political office b. was established to supervise the first televised presidential debates c. is otherwise known as the U.S. Congress d. is a constitutionally mandated assembly that elects the president e. was ruled undemocratic by the Supreme Court 6. The Bill of Rights explicitly prohibits: a. prayer in public school b. discrimination based on race, sex, or religion c. the ownership of guns by private individuals d. establishing an official religion for the United States e. the president from vetoing a line item in a spending bill 7. What was the source of the following phrase: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”? a. the speech “I Have a Dream” b. Declaration of Independence c. U.S. Constitution d. Gettysburg Address John, David. “American History 101?” http://www.infoplease.com/spot/ushistory1.html



www.americancivicliteracy.org 25

ww w. amer ic anc ivic l it er ac y. o r g 8. In 1935 and 1936 the Supreme Court declared that important parts of the New Deal were unconstitutional. President Roosevelt responded by threatening to: a. impeach several Supreme Court justices b. eliminate the Supreme Court c. appoint additional Supreme Court justices who shared his views d. override the Supreme Court’s decisions by gaining three-quarter majorities in both houses of Congress

2006 NAEP U.S. History Test of 12th Graders

9. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? New Naturalization Exam, October 1, 2008, History and Government, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, No. 41, www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/100q.pdf

10. Name one right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment. New Naturalization Exam

11. What impact did the Anti-Federalists have on the United States Constitution? a. their arguments helped lead to the adoption of the Bill of Rights b. their arguments helped lead to the abolition of the slave trade c. their influence ensured that the federal government would maintain a standing army d. their influence ensured that the federal government would have the power to tax 2006 NAEP U.S. History Test of 12th Graders

12. Which of the following statements is true about abortion? a. it was legal in most states in the 1960s b. the Supreme Court struck down most legal restrictions on it in Roe v. Wade c. the Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that underage women must notify their parents of an impending abortion

d. the National Organization for Women has lobbied for legal restrictions on it e. it is currently legal only in cases of rape or incest, or to protect the life of the mother 13. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas would concur that: a. all moral and political truth is relative to one’s time and place b. moral ideas are best explained as material accidents or byproducts of evolution c. values originating in one’s conscience cannot be judged by others d. Christianity is the only true religion and should rule the state e. certain permanent moral and political truths are accessible to human reason

Cultural Institutions 14. The Puritans: a. opposed all wars on moral grounds b. stressed the sinfulness of all humanity c. believed in complete religious freedom d. colonized Utah under the leadership of Brigham Young e. were Catholic missionaries escaping religious persecution 15. The phrase that in America there should be “a wall of separation” between church and state appears in: a. George Washington’s Farewell Address b. the Mayflower Compact c. the Constitution d. the Declaration of Independence e. Thomas Jefferson’s letters

26 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

2008 Civic Literacy Test 16. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: a. argued for the abolition of slavery b. advocated black separatism c. morally defended affirmative action d. expressed his hopes for racial justice and brotherhood e. proposed that several of America’s founding ideas were discriminatory 17. Sputnik was the name given to the first: a. telecommunications system b. animal to travel to space c. hydrogen bomb d. manmade satellite John, David. “American History 101?”

18. Susan B. Anthony was a leader of the movement to a. guarantee women the right to vote in national elections b. guarantee former slaves the right to vote c. ensure that harsher laws against criminals were passed d. reduce the authority of the Constitution of the United States 2006 NAEP U.S. History Test of 12th Graders

19. The Scopes “Monkey Trial” was about: a. freedom of the press b. teaching evolution in the schools c. prayer in the schools d. education in private schools John, David. “American History 101?”

continued

Foreign Relations 20. Who is the commander in chief of the U.S. military? New Naturalization Exam

21. Name two countries that were our enemies during World War II.

Old Naturalization Exam

22. What part of the government has the power to declare war? a. Congress b. the president c. the Supreme Court d. the Joint Chiefs of Staff Old Naturalization Exam

23. In October 1962 the United States and the Soviet Union came close to war over the issue of Soviet: a. control of East Berlin b. missiles in Cuba c. support of the Ho Chi Minh regime in Viet Nam d. military support of the Marxist regime in Afghanistan 2006 NAEP U.S. History Test of 12th Graders

24. In the area of United States foreign policy, Congress shares power with the: a. president b. Supreme Court c. state governments d. United Nations 2006 NAEP Civics Test of 12th Graders

Market Economy 25. Free enterprise or capitalism exists insofar as: a. experts managing the nation’s commerce are appointed by elected officials b. individual citizens create, exchange, and control goods and resources c. charity, philanthropy, and volunteering decrease d. demand and supply are decided through majority vote e. government implements policies that favor businesses over consumers



www.americancivicliteracy.org 27

ww w. amer ic anc ivic l it er ac y. o r g 26. Business profit is: a. cost minus revenue b. assets minus liabilities c. revenue minus expenses d. selling price of a stock minus its purchase price e. earnings minus assets 27. Free markets typically secure more economic prosperity than government’s centralized planning because: a. the price system utilizes more local knowledge of means and ends b. markets rely upon coercion, whereas government relies upon voluntary compliance with the law c. more tax revenue can be generated from free enterprise d. property rights and contracts are best enforced by the market system e. government planners are too cautious in spending taxpayers’ money 28. A progressive tax: a. encourages more investment from those with higher incomes b. is illustrated by a 6% sales tax c. requires those with higher incomes to pay a higher ratio of taxes to income d. requires every income class to pay the same ratio of taxes to income e. earmarks revenues for poverty reduction 29. A flood-control levee (or national defense) is considered a public good because: a. citizens value it as much as bread and medicine b. a resident can benefit from it without directly paying for it c. government construction contracts increase employment d. insurance companies cannot afford to replace all houses after a flood e. government pays for its construction, not citizens

30. Which of the following fiscal policy combinations would a government most likely follow to stimulate economic activity when the economy is in a severe recession? a. increasing both taxes and spending b. increasing taxes and decreasing spending c. decreasing taxes and increasing spending d. decreasing both taxes and spending 2006 NAEP Economics Test of 12th Graders

31. International trade and specialization most often lead to which of the following? a. an increase in a nation’s productivity b. a decrease in a nation’s economic growth in the long term c. an increase in a nation’s import tariffs d. a decrease in a nation’s standard of living

2006 NAEP Economics Test of 12th Graders

32. Which of the following is a policy tool of the Federal Reserve? a. raising or lowering income taxes b. increasing or decreasing unemployment benefits c. buying or selling government securities d. increasing or decreasing government spending 2006 NAEP Economics Test of 12th Graders

33. If taxes equal government spending, then: a. government debt is zero b. printing money no longer causes inflation c. government is not helping anybody d. tax per person equals government spending per person e. tax loopholes and special-interest spending are absent

Take the test, find out the correct answers, and see how well you score by visiting www.americancivicliteracy.org

28 O u r Fa d ing H e r i tag e : Americans Fail a Basic Test on Their History and Institutions

About the

T

Intercollegiate Studies Institute he Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt educational organization 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. With ISI’s volunteer representatives at more than 900 colleges, and with more than 65,000 ISI student and faculty members on virtually every campus in the country, ISI directs tens of thousands of young people each year to a wide array of educational programs that deepen their understanding of the American ideal of ordered liberty. ISI annually conducts more than 300 educational programs around the country, including lectures, debates, student conferences, and summer schools. ISI also offers graduate fellowships for aspiring college teachers and distributes more than three million copies of ISI books, journals, and affiliated student newspapers on college and university campuses across the country. These programs work at different levels and in different ways to nurture in the rising generations an appreciation of our nation’s founding principles—limited government, individual liberty, private property, a free market economy, personal responsibility, and ethical standards. For more information about ISI, visit www.isi.org. In 2003, ISI launched the American Civic Literacy Program to study and strengthen the teaching of America’s history and institutions at the college level. ISI contracted with the University of Connecticut’s Department of Public Policy in both 2006 and 2007 to conduct annual national surveys in order to learn the extent to which colleges and universities are successfully teaching America’s history and institutions to undergraduate students. Visit www.americancivicliteracy.org for the full reports describing these path-breaking survey results. The American Civic Literacy Program is governed by ISI’s National Civic Literacy Board and is part of ISI’s University Stewardship Initiative.

I S I A m e r i c a n Ci v i c Li t e r a c y p ro g r a m S ta ff Dr. Richard Brake, Director of University Stewardship Patrick Ford, Managing Director of Higher Education Research and Outreach Terence Jeffrey, Visiting Fellow, Civic Literacy Paul Rhein, Director of Information Technology Dr. Gary Scott, Senior Research Fellow, Civic Literacy

Fa c u lt y A dv i s o r s Dr. David D. Corey, Baylor University, Political Philosophy Prof. Eleanor D. Craig, University of Delaware, Economics Dr. Kenneth Dautrich, University of Connecticut, American Politics Dr. Andrew Foshee, McNeese State University, Economics Dr. Peter Gibbon, Boston University, Education Dr. Sanford Ikeda, State University of New York, Purchase College, Economics Dr. A. James McAdams, University of Notre Dame, International and Security Affairs Dr. John Quinn, Salve Regina University, History Dr. Brooks D. Simpson, Arizona State University, History Dr. Bradley C. S. Watson, Saint Vincent College, Political Philosophy Dr. R. V. Young, North Carolina State University, English

All photos and graphics used in this report are © iStockPhoto except for the ISI logo, the report covers on page 3, the John Trumbull painting on page 11 (public domain), and the Paula Abdul photo on page 13 (© Getty Images).

ISI’ s Nation al Civic L it eracy Boa rd Chairman Lt. General Josiah Bunting III President, H. Frank Guggenheim Foundation Superintendent Emeritus, Virginia Military Institute

Members Mrs. Ramona Bass Vice President, Lee and Ramona Bass Foundation Mr. T. William Boxx Chairman/CEO, Philip M. McKenna Foundation

Mr. Roger Kimball Editor and Publisher, New Criterion Mr. Lewis E. Lehrman Senior Partner and Chairman, Lehrman & Company LLC

Hon. John Bridgeland President/CEO, Civic Enterprises

Mr. Ross Mackenzie Editorial Page Contributing Columnist, Richmond Times-Dispatch

Hon. T. Kenneth Cribb Jr. President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute

Hon. John O. Marsh Jr. Former Secretary of the Army

Hon. Pete du Pont Policy Chairman, National Center for Policy Analysis

Mr. Carlos Moseley Chairman Emeritus, New York Philharmonic



Hon. John Engler President/CEO, National Association of Manufacturers Dr. Robert P. George McCormick Chair in Jurisprudence and Director of the Madison Program, Princeton University Dr. Victor Davis Hanson Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution Hon. Eugene W. Hickok Former Deputy Secretary of Education

Mr. Michael Novak George Frederick Jewett Scholar, American Enterprise Institute Ms. Dorothy Rabinowitz Editorial Board Member, Wall Street Journal Vice Adm. John Ryan, USN (Ret.) Chief Executive, Center for Creative Leadership Mr. Thomas A. Saunders III Former Managing Partner, Morgan Stanley

www.americancivicliteracy.org Intercollegiate Studies Institute American Civic Literacy Program

Intercollegiate Studies Institute, Inc. 3901 Centerville Road P.O. Box 4431 Wilmington, DE 19807-0431 Phone (302) 652-4600 Fax (302) 652-1760