How’s Your Civic Literacy? (An Open Thread)

Take, if you will, this quiz from AmericanCivicLiteracy.org. It’s 33 multiple-choice questions and shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes or so.

Go ahead, do it. We’ll wait.

Once you’ve taken it, compare your score with these numbers:

- The average score is just 49 percent.

- Worse, the average score among those respondents who have held public office is a pathetic 44 percent.

- Americans age 25 to 34 score an average of 46% on the exam; Americans age 65 and over score 46%.

- Americans earning an annual income between $30,000 and $50,000 score an average of 46%; Americans earning over $100,000 score 55%.

- Liberals score an average of 49%; conservatives score 48%.

- Americans who go to church once a week score an average of 48%; Americans who never go to church score 50%.

It’s a colossal embarrassment that the level of civic literacy in the country is as pitiful as it is. So – having taken the test, are you embarrassed?

(Consider this an open thread)