Hey Berkshire County, How Smart Are You in American History?

Just how bad are Americans at knowing American history?  This answer is…pretty bad.

As we celebrate the 4^th of July this weekend, I was looking at a survey that came out a few years ago.  This survey found that only about 40% of Americans under the age of 45 know enough of America and its history to pass a test with questions taken from the U.S. Citizenship Test.  Not a stellar number.  I'm also guessing not a number that's improved much lately.

I was watching some YouTube videos of teenagers and young adults being asked very basic questions about American history, and I almost had to stop when someone said the United States became a country in the 1940’s.  It was painful.

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Now, I’m not going to lay the blame in any specific place.  Nor am I going to pretend I’m some American history savant…it was never my best subject in school.  But, the fact that so few younger Americans can pass a U.S. Citizenship Test exam is concerning.

So, below you’ll find 10 questions, both from American history and current times.  I have no idea if these questions are on a citizenship test or not, but I thought it would be fun (or sad) to see how many you can answer without cheating!  You’ll find the answers at the very bottom of this article.

So, here we go!

1. What year was the Declaration of Independence Signed?
2. How many original states were there?
3. Who did we fight in the Revolutionary War?
4. What amendment abolished slavery?
5. What year did women gain the right to vote?
6. What year did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor?
7. How many branches of government are there?
8. How many senators does each state have?
9. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
10. What state is Mount Rushmore in?

How do you think you did?  Keep going for the answers below...

1776, thirteen, Great Britain, 13^th, 1920 (ratified in 1919), 1941, three (legislative, executive, judicial), two, nine, South Dakota