Take the U.S. History QUIZ

TOAST NET ^ | dayly | wmileo

[wmileo]

Okay you red-blooded Americans...let's see how you do on this test... 24 out of 30 is considered a passing grade.

Supposedly 96% of all high school Seniors FAILED this test. AND if that's not bad enough, 50% + of all individuals over 50 did too!!

Take the test and be surprised at what we don't know.

http://games.toast.net/independence

I found a fun QUIZ on introductory level United States History. Don't take it too seriously. It contains 30 multiple choice questions with 4 choices for each one. If you are as old as I am (Born in 1948)or older , went to school back when they taught U.S. History, and still have possesion of most of your faculties, you will do well.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Critique of the test (my score was 28).

Several of the questions were trivial and could have been better. For example, it truly does not matter where, in what State, a US President was born, unless it was outside the US. And even then, apparently, it doesn’t matter, as there is no enabling legislation.

Unratified constitutional amendments are also fairly unimportant, at least compared to the one amendment that was rescinded.

Also, the amendment number is fairly trivial, outside of the 10 basic amendments. As was the year amendments were ratified.

Questions that might have been included is the number of justices on the Supreme Court, a question about federalism and anti-federalism, and one of my favorites:

What is the supreme law of the United States?

a) International treaties and the United Nations.
b) Presidential memos and signing statements.
c) Congressional resolutions.
d) Bureaucratic regulations.
e) Judicial precedent.
f) Common law.
g) The Bible.
h) The fourth estate.
i) The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
j) The United States Constitution.
k) All of the above.

[mitchbert]

Embarassed with my mere 24, some of the amendments got me. But as a hockey brained Canuck I’ll take the pass :-)

[sitetest]

30 out of 30. Guess I should be president.

I could do no worse than the anti-Christ presently occupying the office.

[anoldafvet]

I got 29/30. Missed the one about proposed ammendments never ratified.

[Fellow Traveler]

30 of 30. Had to do some educated guesses on the amendments. I had actually been to Eisenhowers birthplace when I was a kid. They have the house he was born in but the only thing in the house that was his family’s is one quilt.

[nonliberal]

One of the Amendment questions, the one about those proposed but not ratified, I had to guess on. Turns out I guessed right.

[ssaftler]

Ping for home use. Work firewall didn’t like the “games” in the URL.

[wmileo]

"Several of the questions were trivial and could have been better."

Granted!

However:

1. I would agree about the State of their respective births being somewhat trivial. However, where the President is currently residing is important since both the President and Vice-presiential candidates on the same ticket on the ballot cannot be residents from the same State. This came up with BUSH/CHENEY 2000

2. The specific number of the amendment is generally not critical to the general understanding but amendments such as the 1st, 2nd and 4th should be well recognized and understood. Only Hollywood Idiots are expected to confuse these.

3. Actually, the number of justices on the Supreme Court is currently 9 but has actually varied over history from 6 to 9 until 1869. FDR tried to pull a fast one on all of us when he attempted to make it 15 at one point but a constitutionally sound U.S. Senate in 1937 stopped him.(Come to think of it, FDR was a bit like OBAMA after all)

4. Un-ratified constitutional amendments might be considered fairly unimportant, unless you are unsure about the status of the equal rights amendment and the one about burning the flag which were proposed since 1964.

Thank you for your contribution to this discussion.

[Non-Sequitur]

Missed one - number of amendments submitted but not ratified. I still think it’s more than 6.

[socal_parrot]

29/30...Blew the Texas president question.

[wmileo]

"Embarassed with my mere 24, some of the amendments got me. But as a hockey brained Canuck I’ll take the pass :-)"

I am sure you will make a great U.S. Taxpayer if you decide to jump accross and sign up for the true cause.

'TRUTH, JUSTICE and the AMERICAN WAY'

Thanks.

[TheWriterTX]

Same here!

[mitchbert]

Almost did for a great job offer back in the 90’s. Lots of family all over The States too. Some great times all over the country.

Thanks!

[ThomasThomas]

I had to guess three but I guessed good. 30

[wmileo]

"I had to guess three but I guessed good. 30"

Great Job. Reason to be proud. See my comment #31 for your rewards and God Bless!

[ml/nj]

number of amendments submitted but not ratified. I still think it’s more than 6

It is. The 14th was never ratified. There is also doubt about the 16th.

ML/NJ

[Ro_Thunder]

Ping for later.

[murron]

I got 28 right. I missed the one about the current amendment in force, and the president born in Texas.

[Prince of Space]

I got a 27! Missed a couple of amendment questions and of course the Texas one....

Mrs. Prince of Space

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

1) The Constitution doesn’t say that they cannot be from the same state. However, the 12th Amendment does say that electors may not vote for a President from their state and a Vice President also from their state. So it is less a constitutional issue than a tactical issue for candidates running for office. But not what I would call an Earth-shattering point for the public to know, compared to a lot of other issues.

2) Amendments are not equal in importance. The emphasis has always been on the Bill of Rights, the first 10, which should be considered as fundamentally different from the other 17, that are organizational, except those that expand on the Bill of Rights. These would be the 13th (slavery), 14th (citizenship), 15th (suffrage), 18th and 21st (prohibition), 19th (women’s suffrage), 24th (no poll taxes), and 26th (voting age).

3) I used the number of justices as it is more common knowledge than the “ambush question” often used to show Americans are ignorant. That is, thrusting a microphone in someone’s face and demanding a list of the *names* of the justices.

4) Other amendment questions that would be entertaining, though trick questions, would be which amendment guarantees Indians (Native Americans) the right to vote; what amendment permits the President and congress to take most of the lands in the western States for national parks and preserves.

Other questions: From a list select the US territories. How many miles out are the territorial waters of the US.