Americans' knowledge of civics increases: survey
5 hours ago
- #First Amendment
- #Civics
- #Supreme Court
- 70% of U.S. adults can name all three branches of government, up from 65% in 2024.
- 79% of respondents correctly identified 'freedom of speech' as a First Amendment right, up from 74% in 2024.
- Trust in the U.S. Supreme Court has declined, with only 41% expressing at least moderate trust, down from 44% ten months prior.
- A significant partisan gap exists in trust for the Supreme Court: 75% of Republicans trust it, compared to 18% of Democrats.
- There is strong bipartisan support for Supreme Court reforms, including prohibiting justices from cases with conflicts of interest (83% support) and creating a formal ethics code (78% support).
- Knowledge of First Amendment rights has increased, with 40% able to name three or more rights, up from 30% in 2024.
- 12% of respondents incorrectly believe the First Amendment protects the right to bear arms, which is actually a Second Amendment right.
- The survey highlights the importance of civics education, as emphasized by Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center.