I would say that my 8th grade in 1977 was at a comparable level. Rather than knowing all the cabinet posts, however, we had to know the presidents. All of them. In order. Today, there are many more cabinet posts. We certainly went over the Bill of Rights in similar detail. Keep in mind that kids have a general idea of what will be on the test, study, take, and forget in a few months some of what they crammed for the test. That was true in 1954.
Exactly, Dr. Sivana! And believe it or not, it is still the state standard in my state that middle-schoolers must know all amendments as well as Bill of Rights, et. al.
My sixth graders wrote essays about the BOR.
Had to memorize the presidents also. Today I can only remember the first 6 and those since FDR...Washington, Adams Jefferson, Madison Monroe Quincy Adams.(I think) Why being past 70 I still remember those is beyond me....