OPINION:
Near my home in Wisconsin is a yellow barn with a smiling face painted on it.
I drive past it often, and it reminds me to be optimistic. Despite recent studies, I am still upbeat about America — particularly as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our great republic.
Don’t get me wrong; there is reason to be concerned about the future. Gallup polling taken over the past year showed the lowest level of pride in America since the survey began. Overall, 58% of U.S. adults are extremely or very proud of their country.
Researchers at Gallup noted that “the youngest two generations, millennials (born between 1980 and 1996) and Generation Z (born after 1996), are the most distinct. From 2021 to 2025, less than half (41%) of adults in Generation Z reported being extremely or very proud to be Americans, compared with 58% of millennials. The rate increases to 71% of Generation X, 75% of the baby boom generation and 83% of the Silent Generation.”
The lack of pride in our country among younger people is disturbing. It seems to be driven by a fundamental ignorance of American history and civics. Nationwide, test results sadly show that only about 13% of eighth-grade students are proficient in American history. Only 22% are proficient in civics.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni conducted a survey of more than 3,000 college and university students on American history and government. The shocking results are published in the report “Losing America’s Memory: Historical Illiteracy in the 21st Century.”
Of those surveyed, 63% could not identify John G. Roberts Jr. as the chief justice of the Supreme Court. More than one-third could not identify the speaker of the House.
Almost half of the students incorrectly said that Thomas Jefferson was the father of the Constitution. Only a quarter knew that the 13th Amendment freed slaves. Less than one-third of the students knew when the Constitution was written.
Although their knowledge of American history and government was weak, 89% knew that Jeff Bezos owns Amazon.
Similarly, only 36% of Americans can pass the test required to become a U.S. citizen. Even worse, less than 20% of younger voters could pass it. In contrast, nearly 90% of legal immigrants seeking naturalization pass the civics exam on their first attempt.
Pride in America is at an all-time low. Few students are proficient in American history and civics. Most could not even pass the basic test to become an American citizen.
So why am I optimistic about the future of the United States? It is clear to me that most young people lack pride in our country because of ignorance of our history and why America is exceptional.
We need to share the truth with them. Here are several ways to enlighten our young people:
- Restore history and civics as priorities on statewide report cards.
- Require history and civics courses to graduate from high school.
- Require fundamental history and civics courses to graduate from state colleges and universities.
- Promote programs that highlight an objective review of American history and government.
The yellow, smiling barn near my home reminds me, each time I pass it, to be optimistic about the future of our country.
Students have not been given a binary choice and opted to be down on America. Instead, most have either not been told about the history of our nation and government or, worse, they have been taught to hate America.
The yearlong celebration of our 250th anniversary is a perfect opportunity to talk about the founding of our nation. Share the story of what the Founders risked for the freedoms we hold dear today.
Many of us can trace our family trees back to ancestors who risked their lives to reach America in search of freedom for themselves, their children and their children’s children. As we celebrate the anniversary of our republic, let us make a commitment to share our history and why America is exceptional.
Just as I am reminded to be optimistic each time I drive by the smiling barn, thinking about our nation’s history reminds me to be upbeat about America. Each time we have faced significant challenges, there have been men and women of courage willing to risk their lives, fortunes and sacred honor for our freedoms.
It is up to us to do the same for future generations.
I love our country. I am proud of the United States and our path toward a more perfect nation. Let us devote ourselves this year to sharing that message with the youths of our nation so they, too, can be proud to be American.
• Scott Walker is a columnist for The Washington Times. He was the 45th governor of Wisconsin and launched a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He lives in Milwaukee and is the proud owner of a 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King. He can be reached at swalker@washingtontimes.com.
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