Understanding the Constitution
Civic Education is Vital to Citizenship
The fact that a black American and a woman faced off for the Democratic presidential nomination is just one vital facet of this historically significant period in American history. This is also a constitutionally challenging time for religion, education and American media. And it’s prime time for both formal and informal educators to help impart civic knowledge.
Why We Should Understand the Constitution
As part of the social contract to which Americans agree – their consent to be governed – citizens are also obligated to understand the law of the land by which they agree to be governed. Or how are citizens to know when their rights have been violated or laws overstepped?
According to a 2001 Public Agenda study (Knowing It By Heart: Americans Consider the Constitution and its Meaning, 2001), Americans correctly believe that “understanding the Constitution will make people better voters and citizens; …that it will reinforce a sense of appreciation and respect for America's history; and … that knowing the Constitution makes it harder for government to abuse one's rights. For these reasons and more, civic understanding of the Constitution needs to be addressed.
What Studies have shown
Various studies over the last few years point to some disconcerting trends in American civic literacy:
- Few people can name the individual considered the “father” of the US Constitution (James Madison)
- Fewer than 25% of students polled knew how many US senators there are – 100 (National Constitution Center survey, 1998)
- Only 35% knew the first three words of the Constitution - “We the People” (National Constitution Center survey, 1998)
- Less than half could name the three branches of government – Executive, Legislative and Judicial ( National Constitution Center survey, 1998)
- Almost two-thirds of Americans think Karl Marx’s maxim, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” was or could have been written by the framers and included in the Constitution; (Columbia School of Law, 2002)
- Most Americans believe that if Roe v. Wade were overturned, abortion would become illegal throughout the United States (it wouldn’t - Columbia School of Law, 2002)
A Few Fast Facts
The US Constitution is a remarkable document that deserves a thorough understanding, A few interesting facts from ConstitutionFacts.com:
- Comprised of just 4,400 words, it is the oldest and shortest written Constitution of any major government in the world.
- The Constitution was “penned” by Jacob Shallus, a Pennsylvania General Assembly clerk, for a fee of $30 ($325.29 today).
- The oldest person to sign the Constitution was Benjamin Franklin, who was 81 at the time and needed help signing, crying with joy as he did so.
- The word “democracy” does not appear once in the Constitution.
- The Constitution does not set forth requirements for the right to vote.
And of vital importance – the Constitution would never have been ratified by the states without the inclusion of the Bill of Rights, delineating more specifically our civil rights, all the more reason to better understand them.
Civic Education Resources
Fortunately, educators have a wealth of incredible resources at their fingertips. The Center for Civic Education and the Dirksen Congressional Center are among the most comprehensive of civic education websites.
Other good resources include the National Constitution Center and CIVNET, a worldwide civic education community.
There’s no better time than the present, with its unique challenges to the constitutional rights set forth in the Bill of Rights, to inspire a love and appreciation of the Constitution in today's youth . Understanding the Constitution is part of American civic duty and helps protect the rights that may often be taken for granted.
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of resources to help us both teach and learn. We just have to take our citizenship seriously enough to want to do both.
