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Americans Flunk History

One-quarter of Americans don't know who got the short end of Revolution

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 2, 2010 2:36 PM CDT

(Newser) – On July 4th, Americans from all walks of life will gather to celebrate their independence from … someone or other. According to a new poll, more than 1 in 4 Americans can’t name England as the country the colonists fought in the Revolutionary War, CNN reports. That figure includes 20% who said they didn’t know and 6% who just plain got it wrong—answers included France, China, Japan, and Mexico, among others.

The numbers were especially bad among young people—the question stumped a whopping 40% of 18-to-29-year-olds. Women too had trouble, with only 67% answering the question correctly, compared to 81% of men.

This is a visual clue.
This is a visual clue.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 60 comments
europerules
Jul 5, 2010 8:59 PM CDT
No wonder we eurpopeans belive that most americans are stupid idiots when they don't know this or where their own country is on a map.
RufusT.Firefly
Jul 4, 2010 10:37 PM CDT
Not at all surprising. I live in DC and I was talking to a woman who has lived in the area her entire life (I think she's in her 50's) and discovered that she thought members of congress got their position by simply getting a degree in something (political science? law?). She had no idea they were elected. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor.
scottaco
Jul 3, 2010 6:18 PM CDT
I found this hard to believe so I quizzed my wife. "China?" sigh.
 

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