(NAPSI)—To the dismay of American History teachers everywhere, Americans remain largely ignorant when it comes to this country’s historical underpinnings.
According to a 2011 Newsweek poll, 33% of Americans surveyed had no idea when the Declaration of Independence was adopted; 65% of respondents couldn’t tell you what happened at the Constitutional Convention, and 43% don’t know what the Bill of Rights is.
kAms6DA:E6 E96 724E E92E H6’G6 366? 6IA@D65 E@ p>6C:42? w:DE@CJ D:?46 6=6>6?E2CJ D49@@=[ E96 =6824J @7 56>@4C24J E92E 3F:=E E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D >@C6 E92? a__ J62CD 28@ 72:=D E@ C6D@?2E6 H:E9 E96 2G6C286 p>6C:42? E@52J]k^Am
kAmx? 2? 677@CE E@ 4@>32E E9:D 8C@H:?8 9:DE@C:42= :==:E6C24J[ %96 uC2?<=:? |:?E 92D E2<6? E96 C6\65F42E:@? @7 @FC 4@F?ECJ :?E@ :ED @H? 92?5D] %9:D J62C[ %96 uC2?<=:? |:?E 2??@F?465 E92E :E :D E62>:?8 FA H:E9 v@G6C?@C |:<6 wF4<2366[ C6?@H?65 2FE9@C 2?5 A@=:E:4:2?[ E@ C6:?G:8@C2E6 @FC AF3=:4 5:D4@FCD6 H:E9 2 962=E9J 5@D6 @7 9:DE@CJ 3J :DDF:?8 %96 u@F?5:?8 u2E96CD @7 p>6C:42 r@:? r@==64E:@?]k^Am
kAmqJ 2AA62=:?8 E@ 4@:? 4@==64E@CD[ 9:DE@CJ 3F77D[ E96 A@=:E:42=\>:?565 2?5 2== 4:E:K6?D :?E6C6DE65 :? 9@?@C:?8 p>6C:42? 9:DE@CJ[ E96 u@F?5:?8 u2E96CD @7 p>6C:42 r@:? r@==64E:@? :D >62?E E@ D6CG6 ?@E @?=J 2D 2 72>:=J 96:C=@@>[ 3FE 2=D@ 2D 2 E@@= E@ C6>:?5 p>6C:42?D @7 E96 @C:8:?D @7 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 2D H6 <?@H :E E@52J] %96 4@==64E:@? :D 4@>AC:D65 @7 D6G6? 4@:?D − 6249 @?6 A2JD 9@>286 E@ 2 5:776C6?E u@F?5:?8 u2E96C 2?5 :D =2J6C65 :? ac <2C2E 8@=5]k^Am
kAmv@G6C?@C wF4<2366 D2:5 @7 E96 :?:E:2E:G6[ “x 92G6 6?@C>@FD C6DA64E 2?5 25>:C2E:@? 7@C @FC u@F?5:?8 u2E96CD[ H9@D6 G:D:@? 92D DE@@5 E96 E6DE @7 E:>6] {:<6 >2?J @7 J@F[ x H2?E E@ A2DD 5@H? @FC DA64:2= 2?5 F?:BF6 96C:E286 @7 7C665@> 2?5 E@=6C2?46 E@ >J 49:=5C6?[ 8C2?549:=5C6? 2?5 7FEFC6 86?6C2E:@?D]”k^Am
kAm%96 4@:? D6E 4@?E2:?D 2 92C53@F?5 4@AJ @7 E96 r@?DE:EFE:@?[ H9:E6 8=@G6D E@ 92?5=6 E96 4@:?D 2?5 2 >28?:7J:?8 8=2DD E@ D66 E96 7:?6=J 4C27E65 56E2:=D] p55:E:@?2==J[ E96 D6E :?4=F56D DE@C:6D 2?5 DE2E:DE:4D @? 6249 u@F?5:?8 u2E96C \ 2? 2446DD:3=6 2?5 :>A24E7F= H2J E@ 65F42E6 E96 H9@=6 72>:=J 2?5 A2DD 5@H? E96 =6824J @7 E96 D6G6? u@F?56CD] t249 4@==64E:@? 42? 2=D@ 36 A6CD@?2=:K65 H:E9 8@=5 6>3@DD:?8 @? E96 &]$] r@?DE:EFE:@? q@@< 2?5 2 3C2DD A=2E6 @? E96 6=682?E 5:DA=2J 42D6]k^Am
kAm“%96 u@F?5:?8 u2E96CD @7 p>6C:42 r@:? r@==64E:@? H2D 3@C? @FE @7 E96 A2EC:@E:4 :>AF=D6 E@ 9@?@C 2?5 :?G6DE:82E6 @FC D92C65 9:DE@CJ[ 2?5 :E C67=64ED E96 G6CJ 36DE @7 %96 uC2?<=:? |:?E[” D2:5 v@G6C?@C wF4<2366]k^Am
kAm!6C92AD[ :7 v@G6C?@C wF4<2366 2?5 %96 uC2?<=:? |:?E 92G6 E96:C H2J[ p>6C:42?D H:== 72C6 36EE6C :? ?6IE J62C’D 2??F2= 9:DE@CJ A@==D]k^Am
kAm%96 u@F?5:?8 u2E96CD @7 p>6C:42 r@:? r@==64E:@? :D 2G2:=23=6 7@C AFC492D6 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]7C2?<=:?>:?E]4@>^7@F?5:?872E96CD^QmHHH]7C2?<=:?>:?E]4@>^7@F?5:?872E96CD^k^2m @C 3J 42==:?8 `\g__\bhh\eadb]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8 DEJ=6lV>D@\3:5:\7@?E\H6:89Ei?@C>2=VmkDA2? DEJ=6lV7@?E\D:K6i`_]_AEVmIk@iAmk^@iAmk^DA2?mk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm~? E96 }6Eik2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]?2AD?6E]4@>Qm}@CE9 p>6C:42? !C64:D $J?5:42E6[ x?4]W}p!$xXk^2mk^Am