Do Seniors Know Civics?

• Author: Locke, John

"Deeply troubling," is how education historian Diane Ravitch describes results of a nationwide civics test administered by the U.S. Education Department. The exam, given to a representative sample of 22,000 students, showed that one third of high school seniors fail to demonstrate a basic knowledge about the workings of government.

Can you do any better? Try three sample questions (answers, page 27).

1. The primary purpose of the Bill of Rights was to: A) limit the spread of slavery in the United States. B) limit the power of the federal government. C) establish judicial review. D) allot specific powers to the states.

2. What happens to most of the bills introduced in the House of Representatives? A) They become laws. B) They are passed but then vetoed by the President. C) They are passed by the House but not by...