Test your Civics Knowledge against elected officials :) (s/o Lunch Scholars)

[Halcyon]

Thought others might enjoy taking this test. I am ashamed to say I only got 80% :001_huh: But then again, I beat the elected officials, who got a much worse score. You can see which ones were missed by the general population and elected officials here.

 

Have fun!!!

[Wendi]

I got 84.85%. Not bad.

 

Wendi

[Halcyon]

I got 84.85%. Not bad.

 

Wendi

 

Nice job!! :thumbup:

[regentrude]

I got an 85%.

I did not grow up in the US and never took a class on US history or government.

[FaithManor]

93.94%

 

I did not agree with the answer on International Trade and Specialization. I knew what they were looking for and answered correctly, but I do feel that it is "in theory only" and that actual outcomes have not been so great.

 

Regentrude! That's a great score. Your European education must have been wonderful! I would not do so well taking a civics test on Germany, though I do know a little about it. There is no way I would achieve your score. :001_smile:

 

Faith

[A.Balaban]

I got a 79. :D

[Halcyon]

So I did the worst :D!...figures my hippie dippie high school (which focused primarily on subjects like MesoAmerican Pottery and slave accounts during the Civil War--I never took any straightforward American History courses at all) would leave me lacking LOL. But I've been working at it--I bet a year or two ago I would have gotten 50% :tongue_smilie:

Edited February 11, 2012 by Halcyon

[LeslieAnneLevine]

I got an 85%.

I did not grow up in the US and never took a class on US history or government.

 

Well considering the average scores (under 50%!), I don't think it would have helped you anyway!!

 

I got 84.85% too.

[TeacherZee]

I got 84.85% I have taken a class in US history but we started after the Civil War. I did not grow up in America. And I went to public school for all of my education, including publicly funded universities :D I also thought some of the questions were politically skewed and I did not agree with the answers that they wanted.

[Halcyon]

I got 84.85% I have taken a class in US history but we started after the Civil War. I did not grow up in America. And I went to public school for all of my education, including publicly funded universities :D I also thought some of the questions were politically skewed and I did not agree with the answers that they wanted.

 

:iagree::iagree:

[Jean in Newcastle]

I got an 81%. I did poorly in economics.

[freerange]

84.85%

I'm not American and I've never been to America. I attribute the ones I managed to get correct to watching The West Wing.

[TeacherZee]

84.85%

I'm not American and I've never been to America. I attribute the ones I managed to get correct to watching The West Wing.

 

Yeah that's where I learned a lot of mine too :D

[*Jen*]

I got a 79. I haven't taken a single history course since high school. I'm surprised I scored as high as I did considering I generally have a great dislike of all things history related.

 

I'm hoping to learn and enjoy history with my kids as we go through the history cycles.

[Jenny in Florida]

I got almost 91% (90.91), but I think I've taken the quiz before.

 

All three of the ones I got wrong were economics questions.

[kalanamak]

I got 93% and have not studied this in our homeschool. I never had high school civics (dropped out) and took nothing on American history or government in college. It is not an area of my interest (yet).

 

Therefore, I answered by general association, reading comprehension, and logic. Not that great a test, methinks.

[Momof3littles]

I got a 79. I haven't taken a single history course since high school. I'm surprised I scored as high as I did considering I generally have a great dislike of all things history related.

 

I'm hoping to learn and enjoy history with my kids as we go through the history cycles.

:iagree: This is me, exactly. Same score, same situation. I had terrible history courses in HS, never took history or economics in college, and I'm shocked that I scored a 79% TBH. Several of the ones I got wrong I was on the fence about, so at least I was in the ballpark. We have not studied most of these topics as part of HSing yet. (eta: I agree w/ PP that I'm sure part of this was test taking skill as I don't really feel very knowledgeable at all on many of these issues. However, I'm still shocked at the scores of elected officials).

 

I am often truly embarrassed about my lack of knowledge on this topic, but when I look at that chart on elected officials' knowledge, I am just astonished :glare: Only half know the three branches of government??

[Julie Smith]

So I did the worst :D!...figures my hippie dippie high school (which focused primarily on subjects like MesoAmerican Pottery and slave accounts during the Civil War--I never took any straightforward American History courses at all) would leave me lacking LOL. But I've been working at it--I bet a year or two ago I would have gotten 50% :tongue_smilie:

 

I'll make you feel better. I got just under 70 percent, (can't remember the number)

 

But I am Canadian, I also don't remember much from highschool history. But I know I had to take it in grade nine.

 

I do remember once a history teacher jumped on his desk and tried to chant like a Inuit while using a meter stick to hunt? For a seal.

[Candid]

I got 87% but I'm not sure this is a great test. For instance, I thought the question on FDR and supreme court was trivial (he didn't do it, no effect, trivial), I thought the question involving philosophers was interesting but not really on topic. I also thought some questions weren't purely factual but contained opinion.

[FaithManor]

Gave it to Dh and the boys. Dh had the final say, but the boys were able to express opinions.

 

They received an 84.85% Econ questions were the toughest and the ones that dh sometimes disagreed with...it's not a well written test. After all, the one on Franklin Delano Roosevelt about the Supreme Court was misleading because the S.C. is a prescribed number of justices and the number of appointments any president can make are based on the number of openings...ie. retirements or deaths...so stacking the court is not as easy as it sounds unless that particular president gets lucky and a. the court is fairly balanced so any appointment could swing it one way or the other or b. has several judges retire or pass away and gets to make multiple appointments.

 

The younger two knew their general US history decently. Oldest Ds, studying US history this year did very well on historical questions and even basic government functions...he just didn't know or understand any of the econ questions yet. He'll have US government and Economics during his last year of homeschooling, so with his general history as a basis, I think I'll be happy with his knowledge.

 

Of course, ds was pretty funny about one of the questions..."Mom, is this one of those situations you were telling me about where you tell the professor what he/she wants to hear and not what is realistic?" :D

 

Faith

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I did the poorest here! I am glad to have gotten a bit higher than average. I got a 57. :(

[Twigs]

90.91% (a lot of good guessing)

 

Looks like we all did better than the average

The average score for all 2,508 Americans taking the following test was 49%; college educators scored 55%.

[OrganicAnn]

90.91 (ie 3 wrong)

 

I didn't understand why they had the business questions? Revenues less expenses is profit (or something similar) That is a accounting question to me, not a civics question.

[higginszoo]

93.94%

 

I did not agree with the answer on International Trade and Specialization. I knew what they were looking for and answered correctly, but I do feel that it is "in theory only" and that actual outcomes have not been so great.

 

 

Me, too, on the % right and on one of my two wrong and why.

 

I think that I might use this as a pre-test with my older 3 before we head into US History and Government this summer.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I got 79%. There were a couple I genuinely didn't know, and one I didn't think any of the answers were right, and a few where I almost chose the right answer then changed my mind at the last minute! :tongue_smilie:

[Rhonda in TX]

87.88% I did better than I thought I would.

[stripe]

I got 84.85%. The ones I thought I got wrong, I got right. It's a weird series of questions.

[TranquilMind]

Thought others might enjoy taking this test. I am ashamed to say I only got 80% :001_huh: But then again, I beat the elected officials, who got a much worse score. You can see which ones were missed by the general population and elected officials here.

 

Have fun!!!

87.8% I did it with my husband. HE got three answers wrong where I would have picked the correct one, but wasn't positive, so I agreed to his.

 

Ha! He said if he hadn't been standing there, I would have missed only 1.

[Candid]

After all, the one on Franklin Delano Roosevelt about the Supreme Court was misleading because the S.C. is a prescribed number of justices and the number of appointments any president can make are based on the number of openings...ie. retirements or deaths...so stacking the court is not as easy as it sounds unless that particular president gets lucky and a. the court is fairly balanced so any appointment could swing it one way or the other or b. has several judges retire or pass away and gets to make multiple appointments.

 

 

Actually the constitution does not specify the number of justices on the supreme court:

 

Article III.

 

Section. 1.

 

The judicial Power of the United States shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

 

Section. 2.

 

The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;--to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;--to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;--to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;--to Controversies between two or more States;-- between a State and Citizens of another State,--between Citizens of different States,--between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

 

In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

 

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

 

http://archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

 

So Roosevelt actually planned to added more justices to the court.

See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judiciary_Reorganization_Bill_of_1937#Bill

[Joyofsixreboot]

93.94%. Mostly from my own interest and not my school provided education.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

93.94%

 

I did not agree with the answer on International Trade and Specialization. I knew what they were looking for and answered correctly, but I do feel that it is "in theory only" and that actual outcomes have not been so great.

 

 

Yeah, see, I disagreed with that one, too. I didn't answer correctly. I didn't really want to choose any of the answers for that one.

[FaithManor]

Actually the constitution does not specify the number of justices on the supreme court:

 

 

 

http://archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

 

So Roosevelt actually planned to added more justices to the court.

See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judiciary_Reorganization_Bill_of_1937#Bill

 

 

Hi, it is a little ambiguous. However, it is left to congress to determine the number by congressional act. At one point, Congress had expanded the court to ten justices. The Circuit Judges Act of 1869 returned the number to nine, from the original six at the time of the drafting of the constitution. No congressional act since then has expanded the court. So the president of the U.S. cannot expand the court arbitrarily. The "Court Packing Plan", the unofficial name politicians gave to Rooselvelt's attempts to have the court exanded, failed. However, due to retirements and deaths, he still managed to have appointed 7 justices by 1941.

 

So, no, there is not a consitutional article that prohibits the expansion or contraction of the court. But, the power to establish the number of supreme court justices resides with congress and not the president.

 

Faith

[tntgoodwin]

I got a 93.94%

 

got the question about FDR and the Supreme Court wrong, and why a flood control levee is a public good.

[leeannpal]

I got 84.85%. Not bad.

 

Wendi

Me too! The problem questions for me were all related to economics and not government or history.

[Chris in VA]

87.88% I did better than I thought I would.

 

Me, too. Missed 4. My civics and econ knowledge are lacking, apparently.

[emzhengjiu]

I got a 93.94%, but I enjoy history. This and the other thread about history makes me realize that I've got emphasize history more with my daughters.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I got a 96.7%. Got lucky on a couple questions and answered one incorrectly that has me doing the head-slap.

 

ETA: this was not a result of a superior high school or college education, but from home educating my kids.

Edited February 11, 2012 by dirty ethel rackham

[dirty ethel rackham]

93.94%

 

I did not agree with the answer on International Trade and Specialization. I knew what they were looking for and answered correctly, but I do feel that it is "in theory only" and that actual outcomes have not been so great.

 

 

Faith

 

:iagree:

[ThisIsTheDay]

Completely surprising myself, I scored 90.91%.

 

I disagree that "If taxes equal gov't spending, then tax per person equals gov't spending per person on average." This does not take into account corporate taxes. The tax per person would then be less than the gov't spending per person on average.

[Melissa in Australia]

Well I got 48.9% I have never studied American Civics, and base most on my American knowledge to this forum and watching movies.

[Truscifi]

I got 84.85% I have taken a class in US history but we started after the Civil War. I did not grow up in America. And I went to public school for all of my education, including publicly funded universities :D I also thought some of the questions were politically skewed and I did not agree with the answers that they wanted.

 

84.85%

I'm not American and I've never been to America. I attribute the ones I managed to get correct to watching The West Wing.

 

I got 84.85%, and I agree some were politically skewed. Some were just poorly worded too. And I got a lot of info watching The West Wing too! Love that show!

[blondeviolin]

96.7% here. I actually contest the taxes/government spending question...

[brehon]

100%. And I thought some of the questions were not well written or dealt more with theory.

[edithcrawley]

84.85%---some of the wording on the questions (especially the econ. ones) confused me.

[Guest]

Okay, guys I'm having some doubts here. Anybody else? I also scored 84.85%. Now, I know there are some very intelligent folks that hang out here, but I find it very hard to believe that most Americans fail this quiz, let alone most elected officials. These are not obscure questions and most everyone in this thread is doing a bang-up job, even if they are not Americans.

 

I'm a little skeptical of the findings. One of the things dh asks the kids during our regular dinner questionnaire is to name the 3 branches of government, the function of each and who represents each.

[justasque]

History is my worst of the 4 major subjects.

I got 4 wrong. Was on the fence about choosing their answer in 3 of those 4.

 

What strikes me more about it is that it is absurd to report scores to the second decimal place in this context. Honestly, ~88% makes much more sense than 87.88%. So I give them a fail in math. :D

[Gisel_le]

I scored 81.82%. I must say I only passed because of homeschooling. Homeschooling littles, at that. I imagine I will learn more when the pipsqueaks start high school. :D

[NorthwestMom]

90.91%. :)

 

I am going to make my 12yo take this when he gets home. LOL.

[oraetstudia]

Missed one. That 5 in AP poli sci is still raking in the big dividends, clearly. :lol:

[myfunnybunch]

I got 84.85% as well, and I really haven't studied American History since one term in university. And the ones I missed....well, I got all of the "hard" (for me) questions right. I am embarrassed to say that I went "Doh! I knew that!" on all but one that I missed.

 

I am shocked that the average score was 49%.

 

Cat