A cross-section of American high school seniors graduating this month were recently asked to answer a variety of questions about American history. Here are some of the questions and what percentage of our "pride and joy" got them right. Remember that, on average, we spend $9,000 of tax dollars per student per year "educating" them in our public schools. In what century was the American Revolutionary War Fought? 15% knew it was the 18th Century. Which country was America's enemy in that war? 35% knew it was England. 15% said Germany. 20% said Russia. Which country was America's most important ally in that war? 8% knew it was France. 25% said England. A multiple choice question asked whether the Revolutionary War lasted about 4 years, 8 years or 12 years. 6% knew it was 8 years. 75% said 4 years. Who was the President during that war? 5% knew there was no president during the Revolutionary War. Who was the first President of the United States? 30% did not know it was George Washington. Who was the first Vice-president and later the second President? 22% knew it was John Adams. Thomas Jefferson was one of the most important of the founding fathers. What is the most important fact you know about him? 7% said he was the third President. 16% said he wrote the Declaration of Independence. 60% said that he owned slaves and/or had a child with his slave. Who was the principle author of the American Constitution (admittedly the most difficult of these questions)? 50% said they didn't know or left it blank. 21% incorrectly said Thomas Jefferson, who had nothing to do with it. 2% correctly identified James Madison. In what century was the American Civil War fought? 20% knew it was the 19th Century, which was at least an improvement over the same question about the Revolutionary War. Who was the President of the Northern side during the Civil War? 44% knew it was Abraham Lincoln. Who was the President of the Southern side during the Civil War? 12% knew it was Jefferson Davis. A multiple choice question asked whether the Civil War lasted about 4 years, 8 years or 12 years. 13% knew it was 4 years. 62% said 12 years. Another multiple choice question asked whether the Emancipation Proclamation gave women the right to vote, freed the slaves, or ended the Civil War. 38% correctly said that it freed the slaves. Plain guessing should have yielded 33% correct. 1919 was an important year in the civil rights movement. What was the most important civil rights occurrence in that year? 10% knew that American women got the right to vote in 1919. Which country was the United States' principle enemy in World War I ? 11% knew it was Germany. Which 3 countries were the United States' principle enemies in World War II? 27% mentioned Germany. 22% mentioned Japan. 4% mentioned Italy. Only 3% mentioned all three. In which war were the most Americans killed? 14% correctly said the Civil War. 24% thought it was World War II. 43% thought it was Viet Nam. Note that 650,000 were killed in the Civil War, 375,000 were killed in World War II, and only 58,000 were killed in Viet Nam. In what city is the Viet Nam War Memorial, also known as the "Long Black Wall"? 37% knew this was in Washington D.C. Oddly, 42% thought it was in Viet Nam. One wonders if they think Viet Nam is a city. Which male recording artist is the most popular in history as measured by the number of records, tapes and CD's sold? 75% said Elvis. 9% correctly said Frank Sinatra. Which female recording artist is the most popular in history as measured by the number of records, tapes and CD's sold? 71% said Madonna. 8% correctly said Barbra Streisand. Other than the "Who was the First President?" question, the only other question a majority answered correctly was the following: Which is the most popular recording group in history as measured by the number of records, tapes and CD's sold? 64% correctly said the Beatles.

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001