America is a divided country. On that much, at least, there’s broad consensus. But the divide isn’t just about partisan politics, about Red vs. Blue. With regard to America itself, for example — the characters, ideas, events, and conflicts that make up our country’s origin story — we are divided between the well-read and the haven’t-a-clue.
According to a recent survey, only one in three Americans could pass our citizenship test. Just 40% know which countries the U.S. fought in World War II. Fewer than a quarter know why Americans declared their independence from the British empire. A different survey found that half of us lack a basic understanding of historical chronology, believing that either the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, or the War of 1812 happened before the American Revolution.
