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American Morning
Taking America's History I.Q.
Aired July 04, 2001 - 13:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: You are never too young or too hold to learn about history. And what better place on this Fourth of July to learn about our founding fathers and mothers than in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia?
That's where we find our Jeanne Meserve today.
Jeanne, what are you doing.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, I'm standing here in the heat, in short.
But let me tell you, there has been a lot of questions in recent years about how math and reading are taught in this country. But a new poll indicates maybe we should have some concerns about how history instruction is conducted as well.
Colonial Williamsburg conducts a poll every so often. And what the poll this year indicates is that American teenagers don't know a lot about this holiday beyond fireworks and barbecues. They polled 1,000 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 and got some rather disturbing answers. Here are some of the questions: In the Revolutionary War, from whom did America win independence?" Seventy- eight percent got it right: Great Britain.
But 14 percent said France. Three percent said Native Americans. One percent said Canada. That means more than one in five had the wrong answer to that question.
Here's another one. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress formerly adopted which document? There, 85 percent got it right: the Declaration of Independence. The runner-up was the Constitution. Nine percent thought that was the right answer.
Here's a third question: Who wrote the "Star-Spangled Banner"? The correct answer: Francis Scott Key; 69 percent got that, but 11 percent thought the answer was John Adams. Betsy Ross got 9 percent, George Washington 2 percent.
And, finally, a question about later history: Who fought in the Civil War? Seventy-six percent got it right. They said the North and the South. But 13 percent said it was between U.S. and Great Britain.
In this historical setting, Colonial Williamsburg, we conducted a rather informal poll of our own. Here are the results we got.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tell me, who wrote the "Star-Spangled Banner"?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Star Spangled Banner" -- I'm not sure. I am going to take a guess. Is that OK? George M. Cohen?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the Revolutionary War, from whom did America win independence?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Britain -- Great Britain -- England -- whatever you want to call it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On July 4, 1776 -- that's 225 years ago -- the Continental Congress adopted which document?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Declaration -- no, I'm sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Civil War was between which two parties?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which two parties?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who was it between?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: South and North America -- United States and -- let me get this together now.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The South and the North -- is that good enough?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: You are not going to find any comfort in this: These questions were drawn from a fourth grade history curriculum.
Now, kids who are here today might be interested in learning about American history. There were lots of festivities. They involved fifes and drums and muskets and cannons.
Here's a bit of the flavor
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSKET FIRING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MESERVE: And a lot of support shown for the Revolutionary forces here in Colonial Williamsburg. They also read the Declaration of Independence from the courthouse steps here.
And let me tell you that next hour we are going to talk about food, how it was prepared, how it was preserved and how much they ate. And, Lou, the short answer is a lot -- back to you now.
(LAUGHTER)
WATERS: OK, Jeanne Meserve in Williamsburg.
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