| What do Americans Believe? | |
| Below is a list of the thirty-nine propositions (across six themes) that ISI posed to 2,508 randomly sampled Americans, along with the percentage of respondents who agreed or strongly agreed with each proposition. The report that follows details how college and civic knowledge shape these American beliefs. (See Appendix C for endnotes.) | |
| American Ideals and Institutions % Agree | |
| America is a model of freedom and justice for the world.1 | 62.7% |
| America corrupts otherwise good people. | 19.6 |
| With hard work and perseverance anyone can succeed in America.2 | 72.5 |
| American government should do more to solve international problems.3 | 31.1 |
| Republicans and Democrats are similar in their beliefs.4 | 19.1 |
| Competitive political parties improve public policy. | 39.3 |
| America’s Founding documents are obsolete. | 19.5 |
| Higher Education | |
| Colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching America’s history, its key texts, and its institutions. | 71.6 |
| Educators should focus on teaching the technical skills for competing in the global economy. | 76.7 |
| Universities should ensure a balance of liberal and conservative views among faculty. | 57.8 |
| Educators should instill more doubt in students and reject certainty.5 | 21.9 |
| Universities should allow students to live in a dorm room with the opposite sex. | 21.5 |
| Legislators should suspend all tax dollars for a college after its endowment exceeds one billion dollars. | 31.3 |
| Legislators should subsidize a college in proportion to its students learning about America. | 33.8 |
| A person’s evaluation of a nation improves with his or her understanding of that nation. | 72.6 |
| Immigration and Diversity | |
| America is the world’s greatest melting pot where people from all countries can unite into one nation. | 70.9 |
| Discrimination is the most urgent problem in America. | 30.3 |
| Immigration into America should be reduced no matter how well immigrants assimilate.6 | 35.1 |
| Latino immigrants are assimilating well into America. | 33.9 |
| Culture and Society | |
| Abortion should be available at any stage and for any reason.7 | 21.4 |
| Same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally.8 | 32.0 |
| America’s media covers rival political views fairly.9 | 15.9 |
| Homeschooling families neglect their community obligations. | 19.5 |
| Society is identical to government. | 12.9 |
| Religion and Faith | |
| The Bible is the Word of God.10 | 68.6 |
| The Ten Commandments are irrelevant today. | 20.4 |
| Public school teachers should be allowed to lead prayers in school. | 48.3 |
| Religion provides indispensable support for self-government.11 | 35.4 |
| Religion and science typically conflict.12 | 43.7 |
| Market Economy and Public Policy | |
| Global capitalism produces a few winners and many losers. | 37.6 |
| Prosperity depends upon entrepreneurs and free markets.13 | 55.7 |
| Taxing the rich to help the poor reduces work and investment.14 | 33.0 |
| Government regulation does more good than harm.15 | 26.9 |
| Government must act to curb global warming.16 | 63.2 |
| Profit accrues to those organizations that help people.17 | 34.3 |
| The free market brings about full employment.18 | 35.4 |
| Raising the minimum wage decreases employment.19 | 30.6 |
| Local zoning laws improve communities.20 | 44.6 |
| The American Founders opposed universal health care. | 28.3 |
The Survey
- Summary
- Introduction
- Citizenship Profile
- Major Findings
- Additional Finding
- Conclusion
- Appendix
- Survey Methods
Take the 2008 Survey
Civic Engagement Assessment
Civic Knowledge Quiz
Resources
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