Are You a Dumb American?

[ZombieHorde]

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

[meegbear]

1. One-FUCKIN'-hundred ...

I'm dah man!

[ProfessorGAC]

62. What meegbear Said!

Those were awfully easy.
The Professor

[SteelPenguin]

2. If you can't answer those you're not dumb

You've got some sort of disability. Talk about dumbing down America where those are the questions that we make people ask even semi-humourously. Most foreigners could name those. I'd expect more from any decent American.

[Taverner]

4. You'd be surprised

Ask some local high schoolers - see what they say

[SteelPenguin]

19. That's partly what I mean by the dumbing down

Our educational system is in the crapper, our teachers overworked, undersupported and underpaid...heck a good number of my teacher friends seem to practically live in fear of the nosy "my jimmy doesn't deserve a c" parents and the lack of the support they get from their administrators and school boards.

It's also not just the educational system, but those parents. I don't know what happened the Americans but it seems like the parents bought into the whole "your child is special" thing far more than the kids did, and now can't bare failure on the part of their kids.

It's not even rocket surgery for crying out loud. My 3 and a half year old knows the U.S. map already and all the states. (thanks to a wooden jigsaw puzzle with all the states cut out on their borders) Yet that information is more than some high school seniors.

That's a big all around failure and it just digusts me.

[Greyhound]

34. Yes, you'd be surprised. For example, the woman that did not know who Betsy Ross was,

nor any of the things she did (not even the flag thing), only to announce after the questions that she is an elementary school teacher.

[YOY]

3. 10/10

Apparently not.

Although I had to change the 1776 one after some thought. Constitution was 1778 mebbe...

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Crap! I missed two! And I was great in American history...

But they didn't tell me which ones I missed... The only one I wasn't confident about was which was the first state...:shrug:

You Are Not a Dumb American

You got 8/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!

[YOY]

6. Delaware.

First to sign the Dec. Independence.

[Rhiannon12866]

11. Thank you! And that's what I said, LOL, so I don't know what else I could have missed...

BTW, did you see "John Adams?" That was one of the best mini-series ever made...:-)

[YOY]

12. Don't have HBO but I love Paul Giamatti

Eventually.

I really don't watch too much outside of documentaries and Adult Swim on Cartoon Network...caters to my sense of humor.

[Rhiannon12866]

15. The only other film I saw him in was "Sideways," and he wasn't very likable in that.

But he was amazing as John Adams. That is sure to sweep the Emmys. And I found out that Laura Linney, who played Abigail, is a fellow alumnae of my school, so I'm rooting for her, too, LOL. She was also excellent, as were even the little kids! And George Washington was as I'd always pictured him... You must see it. I've seen it most times it was shown. And I mostly watch documentaries, too. In the '90s, I worked with the commercial TV networks, but they have gone all to hell...:-(

[Tesha]

22. States didn't sign the Declaration of Independence.

But Delaware was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

Delaware motto: "The First State".

Tesha

[YOY]

33. Thanks for the correction.

n/t

[trof]

39. I would argue about 'first state' status.

The United States of America didn't exist until the constitution was ratified.
I don't know how there could be a 'first state'.
A first signer, sure.
But I wouldn't have known the answer if they'd asked that question.
9 out of 10.
A 'pretty' good American, anyway.
;-)

[Zomby Woof]

43. Not exactly

Never mind, someone else beat me to it. :-)

[bdamomma]

14. Yea, I got the same

You Are Not a Dumb American

You got 7/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!


I screwed up on a couple. time to read some more.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. I just wish they'd tell me what I missed.

Maybe I'll try again, LOL.:-)

[SteelPenguin]

20. Here are the answers

# What's so special about 1776?
* American Revolution

# How many US senators are there?
* 100

# How many stars and stripes does the US flag have?
* 50 stars, 13 stripes

# What was the first state in the union?
* Delaware

# The Revolutionary War was fought for independence from:
* England

# Who represents the judicial branch of the government?
* The Supreme Court

# Which of the following is not a US state?
* Puerto Rico

# The US civil war was in what decade?
* 1860s

# What's the US national anthem?
* The Star Spangled Banner

# What does the D.C. in Washington DC stand for?
* District of Columbia

[Rhiannon12866]

29. Thanks so much! And those were my answers!

So how did I miss two?:shrug:

[SteelPenguin]

31. human error?

you probably saw the right answer, but clicked the wrong one accidentally. I even had to edit this post because after I posted it I noticed I had cut and pasted the wrong answer to the first question. Didn't even notice it until i had posted.

If you know those answers, you probably just f'ed up. ;)

[Tesha]

53. For example, "District of California" was an easy one to pick if your weren't...

...paying the closest attention.

Tesha

[csziggy]

47. It didn't tell me how many I got right

It just said:

You Are a Smart American
You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

No numbers.

I was not sure about the first state but I jumped back to the questionnaire and I answered it Massachusetts so though Delaware may be the correct answer, it may not be correct on their test. That may be one that everybody is missing.

[scheming daemons]

7. That's 2nd-grade level stuff. If you didn't get 10/10, then you should be ashamed.

[truebrit71]

10. ...or English? I got 8/10....

...

[petronius]

28. An English version would be harder, because England has like 100,000 years of history

:)

8/10 is pretty darn good for a furriner... :toast:

[SteelPenguin]

32. The Magna Carta is what?

a) A mobile roman food cart from early Londinium.
b) The armored carriage that carried the Tudor kings.
c) An English Charter and foundation of modern law.
d) The first credit card issued by Lloyds of London.

[petronius]

35. Nicely done! Just 9 more and we've got a quiz. How about:

The male heir-apparent to the throne of England is also known as the
a) kaiser.
b) Prince of Wales.
c) prince-consort.
d) queen mother.

[SteelPenguin]

37. I don't know how dumb I can make them

Bloody Mary was
a) A spicy tomato drink imported from British Colonies in the new world.
b) Mary the 1st, who burned over 300 religious dissenters at the stake.
c) The name of the part of the English Channel where the Spanish Armada was defeated.
d) Also known as Prima Nocta, giving the king first sexual rights to any married woman.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. No, I failed to be a dumb American. Got all 10 right.

[malaise]

9. 100% correct n/t

[tannybogus]

13. The answer to #6 is wrong..

Who represents the judicial branch of the government?
Answer should be GWB

:bounce:

[Rhiannon12866]

17. Doesn't he represent EVERY branch of the current government?!

But if that's the answer, I missed that one...x(

[hfojvt]

38. the answer to #1 really is wrong

the American revolution began before 1776
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Bissell

"Israel Bissell (1752-1823) was a post rider in Massachusetts who alerted the American colonists of the British attack on April 19, 1775. He rode for four days and six hours covering the 345 miles from Watertown, Massachusetts to Philadelphia along the Old Post Road, shouting "To arms, to arms, the war has begun," and carrying a message from General Joseph Palmer which was copied at each of his stops and redistributed:

Wednesday morning near 10 of the clock - Watertown.
To all the friends of American liberty be it known that this morning before break of day, a brigade, consisting of about 1,000 to 1,200 men landed at Phip's Farm at Cambridge and marched to Lexington, where they found a company of our colony militia in arms, upon whom they fired without any provocation and killed six men and wounded four others. By an express from Boston, we find another brigade are now upon their march from Boston supposed to be about 1,000. The Bearer, Israel Bissell, is charged to alarm the country quite to Connecticut and all persons are desired to furnish him with fresh horses as they may be needed. I have spoken with several persons who have seen the dead and wounded. Pray let the delegates from this colony to Connecticut see this.
J. Palmer, one of the Committee of Safety."

[BeHereNow]

18. Got them all right- you'd have to be a duh'murikkan not to.

Used to be, every 6th grader knew those facts.
Now most adults don't.
Pathetic commentary on our population
and educational system.

BHN

[Waiting For Everyman]

21. News IQ Quiz from Pew Research

http://pewresearch.org/newsiq/

I bet most people here would get 100% on the Pew Research one. Only 3% of Americans do. The average college grad score is 63%, and it's not hard. I found it from a link for the book, Just How Dumb Are We - about our electing Bush twice becaue we're uninformed.

[Tesha]

23. Speaking as a 100%er on that quiz...

Good grief! How appalling!

The really scary part for me was this:

How You Did, Question by Question

Below you'll find your question-by-question results and the percentage of all adults who answered each question correctly in our telephone survey.
Question Correct Answer Your Response All Adults, Percentage Correct
1. Is Condoleezza Rice: The U.S. Secretary of State Correct 70
2. Followers of the two major branches of Islam are seeking political control in Iraq. One branch is the Shi'a, whose members are known as Shiites. Can you name the other one? The Sunni Correct 62
3. Since the start of military action in Iraq, about how many U.S. military personnel have been killed? Around 4,000 Correct 28
4. Do you happen to know what state U.S. Senator John McCain represents in Congress? Arizona Correct 56
5. Do you happen to know the name of the current majority leader of the U.S. Senate? Harry Reid Correct 24
6. Do you happen to know which political party has a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives? Democrats Correct 70
7. What is the name of the talk show host who has campaigned for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama? Oprah Winfrey Correct 84
8. Is Hugo Chavez the President of: Venezuela Correct 50
9. Do you happen to know if the Dow Jones Industrial Average is currently closer to: 12,000 Correct 31
10. Can you name the chairperson of the Democratic National Committee? Howard Dean Correct 40
11. Do you happen to know who is chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board? Ben Bernanke Correct 35
12. Which of the following recently declared its independence from Serbia? Kosovo Correct 46

[bbgrunt]

52. very sad that the lowest score was on the number of dead soldiers. nt

[Tesha]

57. Well, actually Harry Reid was the lowest at 24%...

Well, actually Harry Reid was the lowest at 24%
(versus dead soldiers at 28%), but Reid deserves
to be unknown, unlike the many costs of Bush's war.

Still, it is absolutely pathetic that the scores
were so low on so many questions. I mean, these
were *EASY* questions!

Tesha

[JI7]

55. only 28 percent got the number of dead soldiers right ?

and this is not even scientific but people who were directed here which would include many with interest like us.

i wonder what the number would be if there was a scientific poll done.

[Two Americas]

25. 100%

100% on both.

Only 3% get 100% on that Pew test?

[pansypoo53219]

24. doidn't give ma a score, tho it was 10/10

duh. i am abraham lincoln. ACTUALLY i AM very distantly related to the man.

[Lautremont]

26. It told me I was a Smart American. It was wrong!

I'm Canadian.

[ProgressiveFool]

27. Um, it said I was a smart American, but didn't show my score anywhere

I assume it was 10/10 or 9/10 (Was Delaware the first state?).

[Rhiannon12866]

30. Yes. That was the only one I wasn't sure of, but we both got that one right...

:-)

[Eurobabe]

36. I am a smart American

No score, but I know I got everything correct. :applause:

[salin]

40. me, too...

Though there was one question I just had to give a good "guess" at (first state).

[Zomby Woof]

44. SALIN!

:bounce:

[salin]

54. Zomby!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:hi: :loveya:

[Eurobabe]

59. that would be delaware. I lived 20 mins from them

remembered the license plate logo. :D

[Evoman]

41. "You are not a dumb American" 8/10. Not bad for a Canadian.

[elizfeelinggreat]

42. You Are a Smart American

"You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be."

How do you find out your score?

[Arugula Latte]

45. Perfect 10 here.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

[KillCapitalism]

46. That shit was too easy.

10/10

[treestar]

48. Got 10/10 - really easy test

It said I was smart for getting them all, but I'm not so sure. Everyone should be able to answer those questions.

[slampoet]

49. Why are these question about things only Americans care about?

Isn't the whole point of dumb Americans is that they are ignorant about THE OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD?

[tkmorris]

51. LOL that's a good point

Although it is surprising how difficult some Americans find even this quiz about the very basics of their own country.

[JI7]

56. it's connected, if they had more knowledge about our own country

then they would understand the connections in history and currenlty with the rest of the world.

[slampoet]

61. To a point you are right, but mostly I disagree, the problem with learning about US history is that

....most of it is being taught falsehoods.


No one teaches the real influence of lobbies and campaign money.
No one teaches the real words of the declaration of independence.
No one teaches that Samuel Huntington was the first US president (look it up!)
Not one mention of the labor movement,
No one teaches what Hellen Keller did with her Life AFTER she learned to read and talk. (labor movement)
No one talks about Tesla (ALWAYS JUST EDISON)
No mention of the "Bonus Army" just mention of the GI bill.

No mention of any of the struggles that lead to the events of history.


History as it is taught in the USA is just a bunch of things that happened and didn't have any reason to happen and our children are taught this on purpose so they that when they have a chance to witness or change history they won't have the tools.

Other than WWII, name any event taught in US schools and I can pretty much guarantee that the REAL reasons that the event happened will not be taught or they will be obscured.




Perfect example......


Why did the Hindenburg blow up?


A child in US history class will be fed all this bullshit about lightening and possible sabotage and about how we will never know how it happened.


The real answer is that the Hindenburg blew up because the USA refused to sell helium to Nazi Germany and without helium a catastrophe was inevitable. Kids don't get taught this because it shows sacrificing the people on the Hindenburg and other airships for the greater good of preventing Hitler's war machine. But instead we just teach what is easier. Fear Airships!!!!

[Tindalos]

50. 8/10

Another Canadian here. I had to guess on a few.

[Tesha]

58. That's okay. We'll spot you a "Delaware" if you'll forgive us a "Nunavut". ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunavut

Tesha

[varun]

60. 8/10

I am Indian by citizenship, but have lived in US for half my life now...

[Donald Ian Rankin]

63. Only 9/10, but in my defence I'm British.

I didn't know that Delaware was the 1st state.

It tried to tell me that I was a smart American, incorrectly...

[ProfessorGAC]

64. Do You Call July 4th, Good Riddance Day?

Some of the folks in know in Manchester tease me about that.
The Professor

[Donald Ian Rankin]

65. No, we celebrate it as the anniversary of Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum saving the world.

NT.

[ProfessorGAC]

66. LOL!

I love that movie!
GAC