Understanding Government (Or Not)
ICC students and staff struggle with civics questions
An informal survey of ICC staff and students found that most of them were unsure of how the U.S. government works and could not answer questions asked of people becoming U.S. citizens.
Less than half knew what the three branches of federal government are or what they do. Just under 40% knew how many U.S. senators there are, and only 28% could name one of the U.S. senators from Illinois.
Jonathan Parker, adjunct professor of political science and history at Illinois Central College, said it’s important that people better understand how the government operates. People often “don’t understand who’s responsible for what” in the government, and he said that can lead to anger and violence, such as the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“Vice President Pence had largely a ceremonial role in the certification of the electoral ballots from the states. He couldn’t do what Trump, President Trump, wanted him to do. And people don’t know that,” Parker said.
The survey
Eleven ICC students and seven ICC staff participated in the survey, which is not representative of the entire student and staff population, but does raise questions about how well Americans understand their government.
The first six of the eight survey questions were based on some of the civics questions used for the U.S. naturalization test. People applying for U.S. citizenship are asked 10 questions from a pool of 100 and must get six correct to pass the civics portion of the test.
The survey questions and percentage of correct total, student and staff answers follow.
You can test yourself by reviewing the answers to the questions at the end of the article.
The questions
No 1. What document is the supreme law of the land?
Correct: total 72%, student 64% and staff 86%.
No 2. What are the three branches of the federal government?
Correct: total 39%, student 36% and staff 43%.
No. 3. What does each branch of the federal government do?
Correct: total 44%, student 45% and staff 43%.
No. 4. How many U.S. senators are there?
Correct: total 39%, student 36% and staff 43%.
No. 5. Name one U.S. senator from Illinois.
Correct: total 28%, student 18% and staff 43%.
No. 6. Name the governor of Illinois.
Correct: total 82%, student 70% and staff 100%.
No. 7. Who said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”?
Correct: total 33%, student 18% and staff 57%.
No. 8. How did abortion become illegal in parts of the U.S. in 2022?
Correct: total 61%, student 55% and staff 71%.
Only one person, ICC financial aid advisor Mary Ann Carroll, got all the questions right.
“My dad was a political science teacher,” she said.
Answers to questions
No. 1. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land.
No. 2. The three branches of the federal government are legislative or Congress, executive or President, and judicial or the courts.
No. 3. The legislative branch or Congress makes laws. The executive branch or President can sign or veto bills, executes laws, and is Commander in Chief of the military. The judicial branch or the courts interpret laws and make sure they are consistent with the Constitution.
No. 4. There are 100 U.S. senators.
No. 5. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are the senators from Illinois.
No. 6. J.B. Pritzker is the governor of Illinois.
No. 7. John F. Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” in his 1961 inaugural address.
No. 8. In 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade returning the decision on the legality of abortion to the states, many of which made it illegal.
All 100 civics questions for the U.S. naturalization test can be viewed in this pdf.