Only 39% of Generation Z correctly linked the celebration to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence
Nearly half of Americans do not know what the country’s 250th anniversary is actually celebrating, despite overwhelming majorities saying they are proud and grateful to be American, according to the Cato Institute.
The milestone commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, when the 13 American colonies declared independence from Great Britain.
The think tank published its Fourth of July national survey on Thursday, saying the poll of 2,253 US adults was conducted by Morning Consult on June 25-26. It found “civic ignorance” about US history and the system of government, with 46% of Americans not knowing what the country’s 250th anniversary commemorates, while 53% correctly identified it as the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
The confusion was sharpest among young adults. Nearly two-thirds of respondents aged roughly 18 to 26 (often referred to as Generation Z), 61%, did not know what America’s 250th anniversary commemorates, while only 39% correctly linked the celebration to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
The survey also found that younger Americans were less likely to view the Founding Fathers as courageous leaders and more likely to accept the 1619 Project’s claim that preserving slavery was a primary reason for the American Revolution.
The poll also found broader gaps in basic civic knowledge. While 77% knew George Washington was the first US president, 58% did not know the main purpose of the constitution. Only 41% correctly said it was to establish and limit the powers of government.
Another 57% did not know why the American colonies declared independence from Britain in 1776, with only 43% citing high taxes and lack of representation. A majority, 55%, also did not know that the Supreme Court has the final say when the president and the court disagree over whether a presidential action is constitutional.
Despite widespread gaps in civic knowledge, the survey found broad support for the country’s founding ideals. At the same time, 57% of Americans said the US has moved away from those principles, and 56% feared it could stop being a free country within the next 50 years. Respondents cited corruption, politicians ignoring the constitution, the rich having too much power, and excessive presidential power as the leading threats to freedom.
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