Civics knowledge among American adults jumps in new survey -- but hold your applause - The Washington Post

Civics knowledge among American adults jumps in new survey -- but hold your applause - The Washington Post

Civics knowledge among American adults jumps in new survey — but hold your applause

A new survey on U.S. civics knowledge shows a marked jump in the number of American adults who answered questions properly about their constitutional rights and the basic structure of the federal government.

But even with the increase, almost half still can’t name the three branches of the government (executive, legislative and judicial), according to the 2020 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey. In addition:

• Only 51 percent of respondents correctly said the Supreme Court has the final responsibility for deciding whether an action taken by the president is constitutional, lower than the 61 percent in 2019.
• And when asked what a 5-to-4 Supreme Court ruling means, only 54 percent correctly knew that the decision is the law and needs to be followed — a drop from 59 percent in 2019.

The survey, taken annually by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, found significant jumps in civics understanding on specific issues, and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the center, said that could be a result of events during the Trump administration.

“Divided government, the impeachment process, and the number of times political leaders have turned to the courts probably deserve credit for increasing awareness of the three branches, while controversies over the right to peaceably assemble, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech may have done the same for the First Amendment,” she said in a statement.

Asked to name individual rights guaranteed to Americans under the First Amendment:

• 73 percent correctly named freedom of speech, up from 48 percent in 2017
• 47 percent named freedom of religion, up from 15 percent in 2017
• 42 percent named freedom of the press, up from 14 percent in 2017
• 34 percent named the right of assembly, up from 10 percent in 2017
• 14 percent named the right to petition the government, up from 3 percent in 2017
• The percentage of Americans who could not name any First Amendment rights fell from 37 in 2017 to 19 percent in 2020.

Fifty-one percent named all three branches of the federal government, up from CONTINUE READING: Civics knowledge among American adults jumps in new survey -- but hold your applause - The Washington Post