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53 Percent Don’t Know Why We Declared Independence from Britain in 1776
By Emily Ekins and Hunter JohnsonSHARE
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66% Believe American Founders Would be Disappointed with How We’re Following the Constitution, 75% Support a Balanced Budget Amendment, 53% of Gen Z Support Writing a New Constitution
The Cato Institute’s 2025 4th of July National Survey of 2,026 Americans, conducted by Morning Consult, finds shocking ignorance among the general public about our nation’s history and our system of government. Majorities of Americans don’t know why the American colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence to separate from Britain on July 4, 1776 (53%), or that only Congress can declare war (54%), or that the Supreme Court has final say over presidential actions (54%). Further, more than a third (35%) don’t know there are three branches of government. Nearly 20% of Americans under 25 don’t know that George Washington was the first president of the United States.At the same time, strong majorities of Americans believe in the ideals of the American Founding that led to the Declaration of Independence and believe those ideals remain relevant today (73%). An overwhelming majority (92%) believe that these principles and the founding of the United States have primarily been a force for good in the world.
However, two-thirds of the public (66%) believe that the American Framers would be “disappointed” with how we’re following the US Constitution today. Further, nearly two-thirds (64%) fear freedom is at risk in the country and could be lost if we’re not careful. About a third (36%) think freedom is secure and will continue to be protected.
Topline and Crosstab Results Found Here
How Americans Celebrate the 4th of July
Most Americans (82%) will be celebrating the 4th of July this year. The most popular activities include attending barbecues (62%) and watching fireworks (55%). Others will be going to the beach or pool (19%), attending parades (14%), traveling (10%), watching patriotic movies (10%), and attending ceremonies (6%). Eighteen percent say they won’t be celebrating this year. Despite the many deep policy disagreements between Democrats and Republicans, both will be celebrating our nation’s founding in about the same ways this year.When asked to choose, 70% of Americans say they prefer hamburgers to hot dogs (18%) and veggie burgers (4%). Eight percent (8%) say they’d prefer something else at a 4th of July cookout.
Plurality Say Consumer Fireworks Should Be Allowed
While most Americans plan to watch fireworks for July 4th, the use of consumer fireworks remains a contested issue. A plurality (43%) say consumer fireworks in residential neighborhoods should be allowed, while 40% say they should be banned due to safety or environmental concerns.Democrats are more concerned about residential fireworks than Republicans. A plurality (47%) of Democrats would ban consumer fireworks, while a plurality (47%) of Republicans would allow them. Where you live also matters. A plurality (43%) of city residents want to ban 4th of July fireworks in residential neighborhoods while 50% of people in rural communities think they should be allowed. This suggests that different opinions on a fireworks ban may be driven in part by the practicality of setting off fireworks in a city instead of the country.
Most Say America’s Founding Principles Remain Relevant Today
A majority (73%) of Americans believe that the principles leading to the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the country remain relevant today. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority (92%) believe these principles have been a net force for good in the world.Overwhelming shares of Americans have positive views of the US Constitution (84% favorable), and believe it’s more a protection of our rights and liberties (81%) than a barrier to progress and necessary government action (19%). Nearly two-thirds (64%) say they feel satisfied with their current level of freedoms and liberties available to them. Although Democrats are more than twice as likely as Republicans to say they are dissatisfied with their level of freedom (47% vs 17%).
Most Americans see freedom in the US as improving over time. A plurality (41%) feel we’re freer today than 100 years ago, 31% say we’re equally free now compared to then, and 28% think we’re less free.
Hispanic and Black Americans are more likely than White Americans to believe freedom has expanded over the past century. Subtracting the share who think freedom has declined from improved, Hispanic (+27 pts) and Black (+29%) Americans are considerably more likely than white Americans (+5 pts) to think that we have more freedom today than a century ago.
Americans Believe We’re Not Adhering to the Constitution
While a majority of Americans (84%) like the US Constitution, two-thirds (66%) believe the signers of the Constitution would be “disappointed” with how the country is following the Constitution today.The survey assessed how Americans evaluate the current US democratic system of government’s ability to meet a number of important objectives. Remarkably, majorities of the public rated the current US democratic system negatively on all the items we asked about.
% Rating the US Democratic System as “Poor” or “Fair”
- Keeping the government’s budget and finances sustainable……….71%
- Preventing excessive government power……………………………..68%
- Making the government accountable to the people………………….68%
- Giving ordinary people a real voice in how the country is run..…….67%
- Resolving political disagreements peacefully…………………………67%
- Protecting future generations from environmental harm…………….66%
- Providing equal justice under the law………………………………….63%
- Protecting individual rights and freedoms……………………………..60%
- Responding effectively to national crises………………………..…….57%
- Ensuring anyone accused of a crime has access to a fair trial……..57%
While majorities rate the US democratic system negatively on all these dimensions, mishandling of the nation’s budget and finances tops the list (71% rate poor/fair). Further, Americans think that the democratic system has done only a poor or fair job at preventing excessive government power (68%), ensuring government accountability (68%), giving ordinary people a voice in government (67%), resolving political disagreements peacefully (67%), protecting future generations from environmental harm (66%), providing equal justice under the law (63%), protecting individual rights and freedoms (60%), responding effectively to national crises (57%), and ensuring everyone accused of a crime has access to a fair trial (57%).