How Come Most Americans Don’t Understand the Constitution?
In 1787 Americans Read and Understood the Constitution
Back in 1787 before our Constitution was ratified, newspapers in every state printed the entire text of the proposed Constitution. These newspaper articles were filled with arguments for and against ratifying the Constitution. Tempers ran high on both sides where people congregated, such as the taverns of the late 1700s. The people knew the arguments for and against ratification.
More People Know the Simpsons than the Constitution
In 2006, NBC News announced a study that showed:
“Americans apparently know more about ‘The Simpsons’ than they do about the First Amendment.”
The McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum discovered that less than 1 percent of Americans could name all five First Amendment freedoms while 22 percent were able to list all five Simpson family members.
Americans Have Little Knowledge of First Amendment Rights
Things have not gotten better.
“Many don’t know key facts about U.S Constitution” was the headline in the University of Pennsylvania’s newspaper in 2023 after the University’s yearly survey found similar results to the Simpsons story of 2006.
How Come Most Americans Don’t Understand the Constitution?
Our Constitution, the foundation of our freedoms as Americans, is only about 7,000 words or 25 pages long, yet most Americans find it difficult to read and understand because of its over two-century-old language and unusual words.
A Good Way to Read the Constitution
A good and thorough way to read the Constitution is to have Webster’s 1828 dictionary nearby and look up each and every word that is not familiar to you. Webster’s 1828 dictionary was the first great American dictionary and was written close to the time the Constitution was composed. Its comprehensive definitions and etymologies provide valuable insights into word origins and meanings leading to full understanding.
Dave Kluge
Author of The People’s Guide to the United States Constitution. The book presents the original texts of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and all amendments, with enough background, examples, and definitions to easily understand and read straight through these documents.
The People’s Guide was inspired by a 1992 Presidential debate. The three Presidential candidates seemed to contradict each other on Constitutional issues and the author was shocked to realize that, even with his background as the Legal Director of a U.S. based international software firm, he was not familiar enough with the Constitution to determine which candidates, if any, were telling the truth.
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