Americans don't know their presidents
So says the U.S. Mint. Sad but not surprising.
The Mint is hawking its newest $1 coin, which shows Thomas Jefferson. You KNEW there was a presidential series of $1 coins, right? I didn't. They're issuing them in the order that the presidents took office. Grover Cleveland will get two coins because he served two noncontiguous terms. Can't wait for the Richard Nixon issue. More from the survey:"A survey commissioned by the United States Mint has found that most Americans don’t know that Thomas Jefferson was the Nation’s third President and a shockingly small number could name the first four Presidents in order. Only 7 percent of those surveyed could name the Nation’s first four Presidents in order: George Washington, John Adams,
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
"When asked specifically about Thomas Jefferson, only 30 percent knew that he was our Nation’s third President. However, slightly more than half of Americans, 57%, knew that Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence, the Presidential $1 Coin Survey revealed."
- Only 22 percent of Americans know that there have been 43 U.S. Presidents to date.
- Only 21 percent of Americans know that the faces of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt are carved on Mount Rushmore.
- Only 35 percent of Americans surveyed knew Thomas Jefferson is featured on the nickel.
- Only 28 percent of Americans surveyed knew that John Adams and John Quincy Adams were the original father-son pair of Presidents.
- However, 68 percent of Americans surveyed knew that George Washington led the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.
Comments
Well, I don't remember much about early US history, but at least I *can* remember: Washington And Jefferson Made Many A Joke (the first letters of which hint at the first 7 presidents: Washington Adams Jefferson Madison Monroe Adams Jackson). If you can't be smart, it's good to be able to look smart.
I stood at Mt. Rushmore a few years ago and heard a woman proclaim with authority: "That's Washington, Lincoln, Coolidge, and Wilson." My friend and I exchanged surreal glances with each other.
Posted by: LJ Kirk | August 15, 2007 4:24 PM
Even though I see surveys like this all the time, I am never able to come to grips with just how stupid a large portion of the population is.
To make matters worse, sorry to all you egalitarians out there, is that we allow and even encourage these types of people to vote.
Posted by: Robert | August 16, 2007 8:54 AM
people actually know all of the presidents. Not EVERYBODY KNOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: URK NUGUN | February 14, 2009 1:17 PM