Government homework #1

  Not in anyway giving anyone permission to plagiarize or copy this and also not verifying the authenticity of any of the information. Also note that there are probably no sources listed and I am not one myself, so don't quote me. This is just some of my homework; thought it might be interesting to someone:

  I think that Americans' lack of knowledge regarding out government stems from a lack of education and a sense of complacency regarding the importance of this knowledge. I believe the education system plays a role because students do not get an adequate education of the government before completing high school. Personally, I only had to take one American government class throughout all of my secondary education and I had forgotten most of it by the time I graduated high school. Many Americans do not attend college or closely follow current events and politics, so this one class may be the only formal education they get about our government in their entire lives.

  Additionally, I think that many people do not place a lot of importance on knowing about and understanding the details and processes of our government. Because Americans are able to enjoy so many freedoms and have one of the highest standards of living in the world, the average person technically has little need to have a lot of knowledge about the government. In many countries around the world, where people are not protected by and are often persecuted by the government, knowledge about the government and your laws can mean the difference between life and death at a moment's notice. In those same countries, knowing about the government's policies and participating in upcoming elections can result in drastic changes to the economy, human rights, wars, etc. and can completely change the dynamics of a country. In America, not knowing about your government and not being involved in voting will mostly likely not directly threaten your life or your standard of living. As with many other aspects of life, like healthy eating, many Americans disregard having knowledge of the government because it is not directly and immediately beneficial to them.

  The effects of our citizens' knowledge about the government are difficult to estimate. Knowing what year the constitution was ratified probably has little impact on a voter's decision, or competency to make one, in a presidential election; however, knowing what powers the president has and how they have been successfully used in the past, could have a significant impact on a voter's decision. There is a point to be made about knowledge of the government being part of a duty as an American citizen or that a lack of knowledge presents an ignorant picture of Americans to other countries, but I think these concerns are overshadowed by Americans' lack of knowledge in every other area. The United States is no longer able to compete in many of the industries that made us a world power and is one of the last leading countries that produces students that only speak their country's language, yet we are touted by many, especially in America, as the greatest country in the world. I think that the average American's lack of knowledge about our government is merely a reflection of our bigger problem regarding education and the perceived value of knowledge in general.