Are Young People Really This Ignorant...

[seer]

Of US history?

1-in-3 pass ‘US Citizenship test,’ just 19% for Americans 45 and younger

Just a third of Americans can pass a multiple choice "U.S. Citizenship Test," fumbling over such simple questions as the cause of the Cold War or naming just one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for.

And of Americans 45 and younger, the passing rate is a tiny 19 percent, according to a survey done for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

Worse: The actual test only requires that 60 percent of the answers be correct. In the survey, just 36 percent passed.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/w...45-and-younger

[Jedidiah]

I know I could no longer pass that test. I could once but I have forgotten much of that sort of information. I do recall the significance (the gist of it so to speak). I would have to do a whole lot of studying today to pass such a test.

[One Bad Pig]

I know I could no longer pass that test. I could once but I have forgotten much of that sort of information. I do recall the significance (the gist of it so to speak). I would have to do a whole lot of studying today to pass such a test.

Eh, it's multiple guess. I'd probably pass it fairly easily.

[carpedm9587]

Of US history?

I'd be surprised if it's only young people. Most U.S. citizens are blissfully ignorant of our history, and even our government workings. I remember this study that documented that only 1/4 (26%) of Americans could name the three branches of our federal and state governments.

[seer]

I know I could no longer pass that test. I could once but I have forgotten much of that sort of information. I do recall the significance (the gist of it so to speak). I would have to do a whole lot of studying today to pass such a test.

I had a Vietnamese couple in my shop studying for the test a few years back, it wasn't difficult at all. They both passed...

[Sparko]

I had a Vietnamese couple in my shop studying for the test a few years back, it wasn't difficult at all. They both passed...

The test is here:
https://my.uscis.gov/en/prep/test/civics/view

I got 20/20

very easy.

[JonathanL]

The test is here:
https://my.uscis.gov/en/prep/test/civics/view

I got 20/20

very easy.

17/20

The questions I failed on were (I'm not giving any numbers as I assume the questions are different each time you take the test), "What happened at the Constitutional Convention?", "We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?" and "Where is the Statue of Liberty?".

[Sparko]

17/20

Durn Furiner!

[seer]

The test is here:
https://my.uscis.gov/en/prep/test/civics/view

I got 20/20

very easy.

I got them all...

[rogue06]

The only question I had to think for a moment on was what year was the Constitution written but by an easy process of elimination... IOW, 20 outta 20.

[rogue06]

17/20

The questions I failed on were (I'm not giving any numbers as I assume the questions are different each time you take the test), "What happened at the Constitutional Convention?", "We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?" and "Where is the Statue of Liberty?".

Yeah, I didn't get any of those but would have no trouble answering them.

[seer]

Yeah, I didn't get any of those but would have no trouble answering them.

I think it changes all the time, they are still easy...

[JonathanL]

Yeah, I didn't get any of those but would have no trouble answering them.

For the first question I was initially going to choose the correct option, but then I started to suspect it was a trick question and changed the answer at the last minute.

On the question about U.S. Representatives I answered 6 years because I mixed it up with how long a senator serves on the Senate.

I answered Long Island on the Statue of Liberty question.

[JonathanL]

I think it changes all the time, they are still easy...

I tried taking the practice test again. Some of the questions were the same, and some were different. I think the pool of questions that they draw from isn't particularly big.

[carpedm9587]

I got them all...

Also 20/20, and (based on comments made here), the questions apparently are not always the same.