A new poll revealed a shocking truth that will probably blow your mind. According to the data, only 36 percent of adults in the U.S. can pass the U.S. citizenship, which is a foundational exam created to help measure basic knowledge of our nation’s history, government, and civil principles. In other words, immigrants who have gone through the lengthy legal process to become citizens know more about how our government works and the principles that underlie our way of life than those who are born here. How sad and pathetic is that?
And liberals wonder why we want to get rid of the Department of Education? Seriously? I’d say the answer to that question should be pretty plain and obvious. To make the news even more dire, a report from The Daily Signal that was put together in 2023 says that only 3 percent of high school students can pass the citizenship exam. Read that again. A third time for good luck. These are people who will soon be voters who help determine our country’s leadership. Terrifying, right?
This crisis raises a critical question: How can we expect to preserve the American experiment if future generations remain uneducated about its foundations? The answer lies in addressing the root causes of this knowledge deficit and promoting accessible tools—such as PragerU’s educational civics videos and citizenship quiz—to bridge the gap. The U.S. citizenship test comprises 100 questions, ranging from “What is the supreme law of the land?” to “Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?” Immigrants applying for citizenship must correctly answer six out of ten randomly selected questions, a pass rate of 60 percent. Yet, surveys repeatedly show that native-born Americans perform worse than foreign-born residents seeking citizenship through naturalization.
The 2018 survey conducted by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation revealed just how pervasive the problem is. Over half of the respondents couldn’t identify the three branches of government, and 37 percent didn’t know the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Among younger generations, the situation is even more dire. High school students, who should be learning the basics of American history and civics, are failing at staggering rates. According to The Daily Signal, the majority of high schoolers couldn’t identify what the Constitution does, the reasons behind the Revolutionary War, or the functions of government institutions. If these trends persist, future generations may lack the knowledge necessary to engage meaningfully in the democratic process. Several factors contribute to this civic knowledge crisis. Firstly, the American education system has deprioritized history and civics in favor of STEM subjects and standardized testing. While science and math are undeniably important, this shift has come at the expense of understanding the country’s framework as a democratic republic.
The report then states that the second reason these numbers are so horrible is because those who have profound influences on our culture have crafted and pushed narratives that paint up the importance of history and civic engagement as not all that important. Nuanced conversations about critical issues facing the U.S. have flown out the window or more appropriately, been flushed down the toilet. People don’t want their ideas and beliefs challenged. They would rather live in an echo chamber where they have their own views shouted back at them, confusing this cycle with affirmation.
“Lastly, some educational institutions have opted for revisionist curricula that emphasize grievances over foundational principles, leaving students with a fragmented understanding of American history. Instead of learning about the ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, students are taught to view the founding documents through a lens of deconstruction, if not outright disdain,” the report added.
It then goes on to point out that literacy on civic matters is critical to our nation’s survival. Those who call the United States home need to be informed about the principles that guide their country and the government that runs it if they want to maintain their liberty. If you aren’t well informed you can easily be manipulated.
We have to find a way to better educate people on these matters before its too late.