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Startling Lack of Constitutional Knowledge Revealed in First-Ever National Poll

A 1997 NCC poll found that only 5 percent of Americans can correctly answer 10 rudimentary questions about the Constitution. The first-ever comprehensive survey of constitutional knowledge, the poll was commissioned by the National Constitution Center (NCC) at the start of Constitution Week 1997, September 17-23. Highlights include:

• more than half of those polled do NOT know the number of US Senators;
  
• only 6% can name all four rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.
  
• 1 out of 6 believe that the Constitution establishes America as a Christian nation;
  
• 84% incorrectly believe that the Constitution states that "all men are equal".