Subscribe to Receive the Daily Report

Friday, September 19th, 2014

Only 36 Percent of Americans Can Name the Three Branches of Government

Author:     REID WILSON
Source:     The Washington Post
Publication Date:     September 18 at 12:18 PM
 Link: Only 36 Percent of Americans Can Name the Three Branches of Government
Stephan:   What is one to think about a country and a time in which 64 per cent of the population cannot identify the three major branches of government? Not the individuals, just the basic system. Nearly two out of three. This may be the most depressing statistic I have ever published.

safe_image (3)

Wednesday marked national Constitution Day, the 227th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. But only 36 percent of Americans can actually name the three branches of government the Constitution created.

That’s according to a new survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center, and it shows a huge percentage of Americans might need to take a civics refresher course.

Only 38 percent of Americans knew the Republican Party controls the U.S. House of Representatives, while 17 percent think Democrats are still in charge. The number of people who knew Republicans were in charge has dropped 17 percent since the last time Annenberg asked, back in 2011, right after Republicans reclaimed control.

An identical number, 38 percent, knows Democrats run the Senate, while 20 percent believe Republicans control the upper chamber. Only 27 percent knew it takes a two-thirds majority of the House and Senate to override a presidential veto.

Annenberg released the survey in partnership with the Civics Renewal Network, a group of 25 nonpartisan organizations including the Library of Congress, the Newseum and the National Archives that offers free civics education resources.

Other groups, […]

Read the Full Article