History Matters

Multiple studies recently surveying students and adults have shown the following (This is just a starting point):

• • Only 15% of MS students scored proficient or above in a U.S. history assessment, and 25% in both a Geography and Civics assessment

  • Less than half of U.S. 8th graders knew the purpose of the Bill of Rights

  • 1 in 10 8th graders knew acceptable knowledge of checks and balances among the three branches of government

  • ¾’s of HS Seniors were unable to name a congressional power

  • Only 13% of adults surveyed know when the U.S. Constitution was ratified

  • 60% of adults surveyed don’t know who the U.S. fought in World War II

  • <25% of adults surveyed know why the U.S. & British fought in the Revolution

  • 57% of adults surveys are unsure how many Supreme Court Justices there are

  • 36% of adults surveyed were unable to pass the basic citizenship exam

  • 8% of HS Seniors identified slavery as the main cause of the Civil War

  • 68% of HS Seniors didn’t know slavery only formally ended with the 13th amendment

  • 44% of HS Seniors knew slavery was legal in all colonies during the Revolution

  • Only 26% could correctly identify all factual statements given in a Pew survey

  • Only 35% could correctly identify all opinion statements given in a Pew survey

  • 52% respondents believed a faked Russian-filmed video was real evidence of voter fraud in the U.S. (2019)

  • 2/3 could not distinguish between ads and news online

  • 96% did not ask who was behind a partisan website (when observing if the source is credible)

  • Civic Engagement is poor: 67% of our voting population voted in the presidential election...that is towards the bottom compared to other known industrialized nations that are commensurable (not measuring even worse results in state/local levels) & choice is questionable considering Congress had a 74% disapproval rate (2018) but had a 91% and 84% reelection rate (Reps/Senators)

  • Hyper-polarization is a well known and documented: observed online, in the news, and around Thanksgiving dinner tables.

  • Those interested in higher education and Social Studies-related majors is in decline, such as sociology, geography, architecture, international relations, anthropology, political science, law, philosophy, humanities studies, religion, and history (all make up to bottom of the list according to the AHA, 2017)

**Sources: Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship, Teaching Hard History, National Report Card, National Center for Educational Statistics, Pew Research Data Center, Stanford History Education Group, American Historical Association

• Current trends have been promoting history and social studies as shown by the State push for a Civics Keystone (later shifting to local school boards creating and implementing district mandatory Civic’s tests), the adjusting of STEM to STREAM that is more inclusive to the arts and religion aspects, and the demand for additional 21st century skills fostered in our discipline such as research, inquiry, communication, writing, synthesizing, evidence-based argument, and critical thinking. Last, History Clubs are prevalent at schools across the United States and are becoming more and more common along with National History Day competitions.

• The History Club would add to students’ high school careers. They can do history beyond the classroom. It may create a small community of students that can gather around the field of study they enjoy. Students will be more involved and excited about history. The club can serve as a resume booster, improve school involvement, build leadership skills, promote citizenship, address some of the problems of historic competency noted by studies, and follow current educational trends and schools that are doing their part to further promote history & social studies.