A third of Americans cannot name the three branches of government

A significant portion of Americans, 35%, are unable to name all three branches of the U.S. government, according to the 2026 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Of the five rights protected by the First Amendment, only freedom of speech is recognized by more than half of the respondents.

The survey, which polled a nationally representative sample of 1,034 U.S. adults from August 6-9, 2026, found that knowledge of the First Amendment rights has remained relatively stable, with 73% mentioning freedom of speech in an open-ended question, a figure similar to the 79% in 2025 and the 74% in 2024. However, awareness of the other four rights remains low, with only 31% naming freedom of assembly and 29% recognizing freedom of the press.

Just over 12% correctly identify the right to petition the government. Among the five First Amendment rights, only one in ten respondents, 9%, name all of them, while 24% do not name any. Additionally, 25% incorrectly attribute the right to bear arms to the First Amendment rather than the Second. Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director emerita of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, emphasizes that ignorance of one's rights can lead to their neglect and protection.

The survey also reveals that while most Americans acknowledge birthright citizenship, a core constitutional principle, knowledge about other aspects of the Constitution, such as veto power, the role of the Supreme Court, and states' rights, is less widespread.