While we all have several civic duties as citizens of a democracy, including voting in elections, a new survey has found that one demographic may not fully understand what they are voting for. Turns out, college students don’t know much about the US government.
The poll, published on Wednesday by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, found that undergraduate students are unable to identify term lengths, the president of the United States Senate, and several other pieces of information.
As for the results, the pollsters found that 60% of college students were unable to say how long terms were for a member of the United States Senate or House of Representatives.
Another 73% didn’t know that the vice president, currently Kamala Harris, serves as the president of the Senate, and 28% thought it was Joe Biden. Only 35% of college students were aware that Mike Johnson was the Speaker of the House.
When it comes to identifying historical figures important to our country, only 31% of respondents knew that James Madison was the Founding Father of the Constitution.
The poll also found that a third of students incorrectly thought the US Constitution required there be nine Supreme Court justices, even though it doesn’t stipulate a number at all.
Only 37% of students knew that John Roberts was the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and 16% thought it was Clarence Thomas.
The poll also asked respondents about certain historical moments and found their knowledge was just as lacking.
Of those surveyed, only 28% knew that the 13th Amendment freed the slaves and 77% couldn’t identify that the phrase “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” came from the Gettysburg Address.
ACTA President Michael Poliakoff shared that the results of the survey are concerning, and that despite the country nearing its 250th anniversary, action must be taken.
“The dismal results of our survey show that current students and recent college graduates have little idea of the American past or its core principles and values, no guide to take them through the roiling controversies facing us today or to enable them to defend and protect the free institutions that are the glory of our nation and an inspiration to the world,” Poliakoff said. “They cannot uphold what they do not comprehend.”
Responses from more than 3,000 students were included in the survey, conducted from May 10 to June 19.