Given the umbrage that Donald Trump took when asked by Khizr Khan as to whether he had even read the US constitution, people have taken to turning up at his rallies with pocket copies of it, prompting the question as to how familiar people are with this much cited document. The Guardian has come up with a pop quiz on facts connected to it. I got 8/10 correct.
chigau (違う) says
7/10 and I’m not USAian.
Chiroptera says
9/10
I missed the one about which states weren’t among the first wave of ratifications (or whatever #9 is asking).
I was kind of disappointed; is was mostly history trivia. When I started it I was hoping for more content (and maybe currently accepted interpretations).
oualawouzou says
3/10. Not an American, but I follow US politics enough to expect a better score. I bet I would have scored better if it weren’t mostly history trivia, like Chiroptera said. 🙁
EnlightenmentLiberal says
9/10. I could take an educated guess for question 9, but meh.
I want to echo what Chiroptera said.
jrkrideau says
@ chigau (違う)
7/10 and I’m not a USAian either but I have a good mind for trivia.
@Chiroptera & EnlightenmentLiberal
How many Americans read the Guardian?
I suspect the quiz was designed as a fun thing for non-USAians who would not have a clue about contemporary US constitutional issues. Or, usually, care either.
Milton says
Another non-USian…I got 9/10 thru educated guesses and random luck (luck failed me on the non-signing FF).
Had it not been multiple choice I doubt I’d have got more than one or two close, nevermind right!
jrkrideau says
@ Milton
Nice work getting 9.
I might have gotten 3 if it was not multiple choice but I doubt it.
Marcus Ranum says
I take the constitution as seriously as the FBI takes the 4th amendment.
Kevin kirkpatrick says
Id be far more interested in a content quiz, i.e. a cliff notes version of the constitution with key points blanked out, replaced with fill in the blanks.
jrkrideau says
Uh, what’s the 4th amendment?
Mano Singham says
The 4th Amendment states:
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
robertbaden says
Establishment of religion is not protected, it is prohibited.
Kevin kirkpatrick says
@12 -- i read it the same way, but after circling back, realized it was not talking about the state establishing religion.
EnlightenmentLiberal says
To robertbaden
Yea, that one threw me for a loop for a moment. The grammar was really bad. After reading all of the options, I surmised the intent easily enough.
bargearse says
Not an American but got 8/10. I’m pretty sure I would’ve gotten 0 if it wasn’t mulitple choice and yeah, that was more a trivia quiz than something that would actually show an understanding of the US constitution.