When it comes to American history, Americans are often on shaky ground. Even politicians can never seem to get straight which text “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” appears in, let alone where Mount Rushmore gets its name, or what happens in the Bill of Rights after the fifth amendment.
How important is this to being a United States citizen? If naturalized citizens have to pass a citizenship test, should native-born Americans know this information too? What role does civic knowledge play in our lives as Americans, and what role should it play?
Denise Kiernan is the co-author, with Joseph D’Agnese, of “Stuff Every American Should Know.”
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