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July 4, 1776. . . Fireworks, right??
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July 4, 1776. . . Fireworks, right?? |
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Sven
since 1999-11-23
Posts 14937East Lansing, MI USA 
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A survey has just been completed by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation regarding just how much American teens know about Independence Day. 1,000 of them were asked basic 4th grade questions about Independence Day. The results?? *22 percent of teens (more than 1 in 5) don’t know what country America declared independence from during the Revolutionary War (14 percent think it was France) * 17 percent don’t know that there were 13 original colonies * 15 percent don’t know that the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress. It gets better, when the same group was asked even more general history questions, here's what happened: *24 percent (nearly 1 in 4) don’t know who fought in the Civil War (13 percent think it was the U.S. and Great Britain) * 19 percent can’t identify the three branches of government * 31 percent don’t know who wrote America’s national anthem, the "Star Spangled Banner." It's just terrible. Thanks to our education system, millions of American teens don't know the most basic facts about the country that they live in, why we fought for Independence, and how their government works. For more information, and to take the quiz that was presented to these teens, go here: Colonial Williamsburg Survery ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world. [This message has been edited by Sven (edited 07-04-2001).] |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
Yep, that there is pretty darn sad, but also typical of today's educational standards. I recall seeing a news article a few days ago about an all-girls high school in New York City, where they went on and on about high scores and why the girls did better without distaction by male teens. What they mentioned in passing, and what I could clearly see, was the student-teacher ratio. Same teachers as per a national average, but less students per teacher, equalling more time spent on each student. BTW, scored 10/10. But then again, I love history.  “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
You guys, Look at those numbers again. *78 percent of teens (slightly less than 4 in 5) know what country America declared independence from during the Revolutionary War (and added 14 percent were able to place it in the correct geographic area) * 83 percent know that there were 13 original colonies * 85 percent know that the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress. It gets better, when the same group was asked even more general history questions, here's what happened: *76 percent (nearly 3 in 4) know who fought in the Civil War (only 13 percent confused it with the Revolutionary War) *81 percent can identify the three branches of government * 69 percent know who wrote America¡¯s national anthem, the "Star Spangled Banner." Given current literacy rates in America, not bad if you ask me. Brad |
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Dopey Dope
Moderator
Member Patricius
since 2000-08-30
Posts 11132San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Sorry to say I don't know the last 2....  |
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Sven
since 1999-11-23
Posts 14937East Lansing, MI USA |
These are 4th grade level questions. . . in my mind, these are things that every American should know. . . ---------------------------------------------------------------- To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world. |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
I also think that the results are rather impressive when viewed on a positive scale. Of course everyone should know ... but whose fault is it that they don't ? Sven ... "survery" ??? ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ noles1@totcon.com [This message has been edited by Marge Tindal (edited 07-03-2001).] |
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