The State of Constitution Knowledge in America
For more than 30 years, ConstitutionFacts.com has been the leading non-partisan source for information and education about the U.S. Constitution. With millions of visitors each year, we have built the largest online community of people dedicated to understanding the foundation of American democracy.
Since 2007, we have surveyed more than 100,000 people annually, measuring their knowledge of the Constitution and tracking trends in public understanding. These surveys, released each Constitution Day, have provided unparalleled insight into what Americans know—and don’t know—about the document that defines our government and our rights.
What We’ve Learned from 18 Years of Surveys Our survey data has shown both strengths and gaps in constitutional knowledge across different states, regions, and demographics. While some areas of understanding remain strong year after year, others reveal persistent misconceptions about the powers of the federal government and the structure of the Constitution itself.
Where Americans Excel
- Knowledge of the Bill of Rights is consistently high. Questions related to the first 10 amendments, including freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms, receive some of the highest correct response rates.
- Many survey takers have a solid grasp of constitutional amendments, with over 70% correctly answering questions related to rights and freedoms.
Where Knowledge Falls Short
- The "Elastic Clause" (Article I, Section 8) remains one of the least understood constitutional principles, with many unaware of Congress's authority to make necessary and proper laws.
- Fewer than 40% of survey takers correctly identify the number of Supreme Court Justices required by the Constitution (Hint: The Constitution does not set a number!).
- Many misunderstand the Supremacy Clause (Article VI, Section 2), which establishes that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws.
Regional Trends in Constitutional Knowledge
Over the years, our survey results have highlighted states and regions with the highest levels of constitutional literacy:
- California, New York, and Illinois consistently rank in the top five.
- The South Atlantic region (DC, DE, GA, FL, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) has shown the most improvement over the past decade, rising to the top in regional rankings.
- Texas and California have been among the highest-scoring states every year since we began our survey.
Why It Matters
Understanding the Constitution is essential to informed citizenship. Our data highlights key areas where education is succeeding and where more effort is needed to ensure Americans fully grasp their rights, freedoms, and the structure of government.
ConstitutionFacts.com remains committed to providing accurate, non-partisan resources for individuals, educators, and organizations seeking to improve constitutional literacy.
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