Americans Lack Awareness of Constitutional Provisions, Including States' Rights, Survey Reveals
A recent survey indicates a significant gap in Americans' understanding of the U.S. Constitution, particularly concerning states' rights and other fundamental provisions. According to the 2026 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania, fewer than half of respondents correctly identified veto power and the role of the Supreme Court in constitutional matters. Specifically, only 50% of U.S. adults knew that the 10th Amendment reserves powers not granted to the federal government to the states or the people. The survey, conducted from August 6-9, 2026, among 1,034 U.S. adults, also found that over a third (35%) cannot name all three branches of government, and less than half can name four of the five rights protected by the First Amendment. While 73% cited freedom of speech, fewer than half named freedom of religion (43%), and even fewer identified freedom of assembly (31%) or freedom of the press (29%). A quarter (25%) incorrectly...
