Young Americans flunk geography, according to National Geographic quiz survey

AP via Yahoo! News ^ | November 20, 2002 | Paul Recer

[anguish]

Not mentioned here is the fact the Europeans had extreme difficulties pointing out east-European countries. Where's the world coming to? what world? where?

[Nataku X]

Apples and oranges. Just ask any of those "smart" Swedes to pick out 16 named states in a map of the United States.

[Hodar]

Only 89 percent of the Americans surveyed could find their own country on the map.

There is no excuse for this. I would hope a kindergarner could do this.

[general_re]

I don't think that the Swedes would do very well, you're right.

On the other hand, I fear that American students wouldn't do very well on that quiz either... ;)

[meenie]

This is not new. I was talking to one New Yawker about his plans after his tour was up. He was going out West. Upon further questioning he admitted to maybe going across the Hudson into New Jersey. He thought we had all kinds of combat experience fighting the indians. He was fascinated with truck driving school. Up to that time he never had an opportunity to drive. There was no space in Manhattan to learn.

[stanz]

Young Americans flunk Geography because it's not taught in elementary schools or in high schools unless taken as an elective. It used to be required in elementary school.

[Wright is right!]

It's unfortunate, but Geography is a very boring subject to the vast majority of the population. If it doesn't relate to pop culture, most people could care less.

Not much has changed since the 60's, however, when almost no one could locate Viet Nam on a globe. You would be absolutely APPALLED at the percentage of the general population that has never left their own state - nor would know in which direction to head in order to leave. My wife the teacher has had SOME classes in her career with as many as a THIRD of the students in them that have NEVER BEEN OUTSIDE NASHVILLE.

Closed minds have very small, enclosed worlds.

Michael

[USMMA_83]

My ninth grade history teacher, a high-school baseball coach in reality, could not find Germany on the world map...a world map identifying the main participants during W.W.II. I died laughing. I told my parents about that; they made a stink with the Principal...the Principal asked my parents to put in a private school "if it was so important to them that I know where Germany is on the map."

My parents promptly put me and my sisters in private school.

[Hodar]

Well stated. I have met several people who have never traveled more than 200 miles from their birthplace. And a good percentage of them are in their mid-50's. BTW, flaming Dems at the same time.... coincidence?

[DSHambone]

War is God's way of teaching Americans geography.
-Ambrose Bierce, writer (1842-1914)

[Mr. Bird]

Only 71 percent of the surveyed Americans could locate on the map the Pacific Ocean, the world's largest body of water. Worldwide, three in 10 of those surveyed could not correctly locate the Pacific Ocean.

So we won that one, right?

The reason kids can't find these places is no one asks them to in school. My guess is that if you broke the kids out into public school, private school, and home schooled children, the percentage of correct answers would soar for the latter two.

[rogerthedodger]

ask swedes to pick out their own provinces. that's the relevant comparison.

[HEY4QDEMS]

Ask young people to pick out Iraq on a map of the Middle East, and only 13 percent can locate it

It is my hope that one day noone will be able to find Iraq on the map. LOL

[USMMA_83]

Do you know why Iraq is important in terms of world history?

[general_re]

Oh, you want relevant comparisons. In that case, we're really screwed ;)

[janette]

shouldn't be hard for European students! We all had excellent Geographie lessons at school!

[HEY4QDEMS]

Do you know why sour cream has an expiration date?

[No.6]

Note: 29% of Americans, and 30% of total respondents, could not find the PACIFIC OCEAN.

Never mind Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, specific U.S. states; how can you miss the Pacific Ocean? If you point randomly at blue things on a world map you're fairly likely to get it right ...

[Nataku X]

Good point. ;)

However, it's annoying how Europeans gloat that we're so culturally ignorant compared to them. We had a German guest professor came in a couple of weeks ago and sack us (those few of us that weren't H1-B Indians, that is) for not knowing more about European politics/affairs and so on. (Note: this was supposed to be a lecture on M2MI, not European politics.)

Either way, they're snobbish shiznit wussies. I'd almost compare living in Europe & knowing about European countries to living in the USA & knowing about states.

[USMMA_83]

Yeah...thought as much....