NationStates Jolt Archive

.. well are you?

I'm not! ;)

You Are Not a Dumb American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-3.jpg

You got 8/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!
Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

It says that I'm a Smart American, but it doesn't tell me how many I got wrong.

All four answers to the first question are wrong, though - the "right" answer was the best one, but still not very good. 1776 is significant because of the Declaration of Independence. There were other years of the American Revolution.

No, because I'm Canadian! :p

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Although i'm not American in any way. Damned American cultural imperialism. I know more about your history than I do my own country's.

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

That was ridiculously easy. What 2 questions did you get wrong?

That was ridiculously easy. What 2 questions did you get wrong?

I have no idea.. :(

I'm not a dumb American :)

I even got eight of the answers right :eek:

.. well are you?

I'm not! ;)


Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

Nice test. My result:

You Are a Smart American
http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg
You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

You Are a Smart American

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

:rolleyes: :p

Well, you know how dumb Americans are. :p

Oh, and time warp.

I have no idea.. :(

what did you put for the First State in the Union and the year of the civil war?

You Are a Smart American

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.


:rolleyes: :p

Answers should be [spoiler]
Year of the American Revolution (although, that's wrong...)
100
50 stars, 13 stripes
Delaware
England
The Supreme Court
Puerto Rico
1860's
The Star Spangled Banner
District of Columbia

You Are a Smart American
http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg
You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Pretty easy...

what did you put for the First State in the Union and the year of the civil war?

VA and 1860's.

I appear to be a smart American... despite not being American. Ah well

Answers should be [spoiler]
Year of the American Revolution (although, that's wrong...)
100
50 stars, 13 stripes
Delaware
England
The Supreme Court
Puerto Rico
1850's
The Star Spangled Banner
District of Columbia

Shouldn't it be 1860's rather than 1850's? I think I put Massachusetts instead of Delaware, though, for some reason.

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

Natch-

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

VA and 1860's.

thought so... those are wrong. ;)

It says that I'm a Smart American, but it doesn't tell me how many I got wrong. Same here. I'll just pretend that means we got them all right.

All four answers to the first question are wrong, though - the "right" answer was the best one, but still not very good. 1776 is significant because of the Declaration of Independence. There were other years of the American Revolution.Gah, that was so irritating!

thought so... those are wrong. ;)

And I just had Government! :( :p

Gah, that was so irritating!

The irony is palpable - especially when added to the misspelling of "your."

Answers should be [spoiler]
Year of the American Revolution (although, that's wrong...)
100
50 stars, 13 stripes
Delaware
England
The Supreme Court
Puerto Rico
1850's
The Star Spangled Banner
District of Columbia

Apparently you're right about a Delaware (I voted Massachusetts) (How the hell did I rate "Smart", then??) but the Civil War was from 1861-1865.

I got 6/10 and I am a teenager in the UK. most of the answers were intuative.

thought so... those are wrong. ;)
How is the 1860s wrong?

What is the deal with this "1850s" thing? The Civil War was definitely fought in the 1860s.

(I voted Massachusetts)

I think I put Massachusetts

Yeah, so did I.

I guess that American History class last year payed off.:eek:

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

Rawrz.

*laughs at those unaware of Delaware*

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

I can't believe you got 8/10...

VA and 1860's.

virginia had the first permanent white (english) settlement in the americas, but delaware was the first state of the union to ratify the articles of confederation and the constitution both. I'm tempted to say that pennsylvania was the first fully incorperated colony, as it was founded in the 1680s, but that's just because I'm from pennsylvania and think it was way better than the other colonies. we actually bought our land (at a fair price) from the native americans, and for as long as it was run by quakers, never killed them. the lower delaware valley had the luck that the native american tribe who lived there, the lenape, tended to act as an inter-tribal mediator, and was consequentially very diplomatic and peaceful, and the first white people they encountered were quakers, who were sworn pacifists whose central doctrine was that God indwelt every living person...the two groups got along swimmingly (I know my direct patrilineal ancestor married a native, and spent the rest of his life as a diplomatic between the whites and the natives...one of the conditions his father left his estate to him on was that he serve the native americans, actually...quakers rocked) pennsylvania up until the 1780s had a pretty much ideal form of government, as far as I'm concerned...though rhode island was a completely socialist state between the revolution and the dissolution of the articles of confederation, which is ridiculously cool. damn the federalists screwing it up!

thought so... those are wrong. ;)

What are you talking about? US Civil War was 1861-1865...sounds like the 1860s to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War

You got 8/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!

I didn't think 1860's were wrong either! Also I said Mass not VA. bleh

You got 8/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!

I didn't think 1860's were wrong either! Also I said Mass not VA. bleh

1860s is correct, and it's delaware. massachusetts was settled after virginia. jamestown was 1607, plymouth was 1620. neither of those were the official "first state" though.

I am a smart American. Here is the saddest part of the quiz:



Hopefully this quiz wasn't written by an American; we certainly wouldn't be bucking any stereotypes.

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

wait...how did I reply to your post and end up posting *before* it? wtf?

All four answers to the first question are wrong,

question 4 is a bit vague, too. delaware happens to work for being the first to ratify both the articles and the constitution, but the colonies were a union prior to that, and i'm not sure who first declared themselves a state at the urging of the second continental congress. maybe delware again - that'd make it easy.

<insert Abe pic here>

"You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be."

I am a smart American. Here is the saddest part of the quiz:

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Hopefully this quiz wasn't written by an American; we certainly wouldn't be bucking any stereotypes.

How is the 1860s wrong?
not the info was wrong but the quiz marks it as wrong. same with the American Revolution.

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

wait...how did I reply to your post and end up posting *before* it? wtf?

Time warp. :cool:

not the info was wrong but the quiz marks it as wrong. same with the American Revolution.

it does? I put 1860s and it didn't say I missed any...or so I thought?

Time warp. :cool:

apperently...that was weird.

.. well are you?

I'm not! ;)


Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

What could you have missed out of those questions?

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

Be on your guard, NSG, I've been told by a completely irrelevant source that my opinions are probably well informed.

it does? I put 1860s and it didn't say I missed any...or so I thought?

sorry, going on 26 hours straight right now. it is 1860 but for some reason I keep seeing 1850 :headbang:

thought so... those are wrong. ;)

Only one is wrong. The War Between the States was fought from 1861 to 1864.

My apologies. Get some sleep!

Shouldn't it be 1860's rather than 1850's? I think I put Massachusetts instead of Delaware, though, for some reason.

Apparently you're right about a Delaware (I voted Massachusetts) (How the hell did I rate "Smart", then??) but the Civil War was from 1861-1865.

What is the deal with this "1850s" thing? The Civil War was definitely fought in the 1860s.
oops...typo.


I didn't think 1860's were wrong either! Also I said Mass not VA. blehdelaware, not VA

question 4 is a bit vague, too. delaware happens to work for being the first to ratify both the articles and the constitution, but the colonies were a union prior to that, and i'm not sure who first declared themselves a state at the urging of the second continental congress. maybe delware again - that'd make it easy.
It asks what the first state was. Statehood was granted by ratifiying the constitution.

Are You a Dumb American?

You Are a Smart American

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

It didn't tell the score, so can I assume I got them all right? This "test" was ridiculously easy.

apperently...that was weird.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Jolt, my friend. "Weird" is a frequent occurrence here! :D

... what does knowing details of American history have to do with intelligence? :headbang:

It's closer to being an 'Are you an Ignorant American?' test, and then not even. A test of American ignorance is one that asks about things and places outside of America. Americans get educated/pumped with propaganda/whatever with regard to their own history and geography, but they have a reputation of being totally oblivious to world affairs.

It asks what the first state was. Statehood was granted by ratifiying the constitution.

and virginia adopted a constitution declaring itself a state in june of 1776. new hampshire was the first to follow the continental congress' call to do so in january of 1776, but doesn't explicitly say they are a state as far as i can see. delaware didn't get around to it until september.

the u.s. constitution has nothing to do with anything

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

oops...typo. Although, I think the test marks 1860's as wrong...Nope, can't be. I already had the "first state in the union" question wrong and it still called me smart - so if it marked 1860s wrong, too, I would have rated a not-so-smart and it would have told me, like Ruffy, I only got 8/10 right...

10/10 - Smart American

You Are Not a Dumb American
You got 8/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!

Works out, I'm not an American after all.
Not so sure about the dumb bit, though.

and virginia adopted a constitution declaring itself a state in june of 1776. new hampshire was the first to follow the continental congress' call to do so in january of 1776, but doesn't explicitly say they are a state as far as i can see. delaware didn't get around to it until september.

the u.s. constitution has nothing to do with anything
Considering that is exactly what the question was asking, I'd say the US constitution has alot to do with it...
the question reads "What was the first state in the union?". Not what was the first state to declare statehood, but the first state to join the union that became The United States of America.

In 1776, the 13 American colonies declared themselves free and independent of British rule, thereby becoming states. They confederated under the Articles of Confederation, in which they still remained sovereign. They did not, however, become states of the union untill they ratified the US Constitution or were admitted by Congress. Delaware was the first state to ratifiy the constitution, on December 7th, 1787. Connecticut was 5th on Jan. 9th, 1788. MA was 6th on Feb 6th, 1788, and Virginia was tenth, on June 25th.

Wiki and the federal government agree with me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_date_of_statehood
http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/50sq_program/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=schedule

it does? I put 1860s and it didn't say I missed any...or so I thought?

That's because the Civil War was fought in the 1860s. Anyone who's been saying that's wrong was themsevles incorrect.

Only one is wrong. The War Between the States was fought from 1861 to 1864.

My apologies. Get some sleep!

1861-1865.

Considering that is exactly what the question was asking, I'd say the US constitution has alot to do with it...
the question reads "What was the first state in the union?". Not what was the first state to declare statehood, but the first state to join the union that became The United States of America.

In 1776, the 13 American colonies declared themselves free and independent of British rule, thereby becoming states. They confederated under the Articles of Confederation, in which they still remained sovereign. They did not, however, become states of the union untill they ratified the US Constitution

so why do the articles say:

Article I. The Stile of this Confederacy shall be "The United States of America."
and
Article IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different States in this Union...
?


and any way you cut it, the union was established during the rule of the second continental congress, as were the identities of the colonies as states.

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

Yeah, whatever, blog site. That test was absolutely pathetic. I was hoping there would actually be some extremely specific and difficult questions, such as asking about a specific line of Article II of the Constitution or something, rather than this bullshit. What's more, none of the answers were correct for question number one. Even if you interpreted it to mean the year the American Revolution began, that still isn't right because it began in 1775. Most people forget that the Declaration of Independence wasn't actually written till a year after the war started.

so why do the articles say:

Article I. The Stile of this Confederacy shall be "The United States of America."
and
Article IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different States in this Union...
?

Because they chose to call it that? They could have called it "Herman" if they wanted...
The colonies left the British Empire. They became independent states. They confederated. They remained independent states that would work together for defence, free movement, etc. Under the articles, the states were still sovereign, giving few powers to a central body (very similar to the current European Union)
and any way you cut it, the union was established during the rule of the second continental congress, as were the identities of the colonies as states.

A union was established, not the union. The current existance of The United States of America began with the ratification of the constitution, as that dictates our mutual government. Without that constitution, there is no United States.
If we returned to the Articles of Confederation, we might still be called The United States of America, but it would not be the same entity.

It is no different from saying Egypt under the Pharohs was an accurate name, as is Egypt under the current government. It would, however, be wrong to say that they are the same.

History and the federal government agree with me. Delaware was the first state to join the current union that is The United States of America, and that occured the day it ratified the constitution.

And they became states the moment they signed the declaration of independence, in the same sense that France, Germany, China, Japan, Morroco, et. al. are all states. Colonies, on the other hand, are ruled and inherently not states

State refers to set of governing institutions that has sovereignty over a definite territory, colonies are ruled by a foreign power with little, if any, self-determination

The colonies left the British Empire. They became independent states.

only vermont. everybody else had a unified national gov't from the get-go.

Under the articles, the states were still sovereign

they are still sovereign now

A union was established, not the union. The current existance of The United States of America began with the ratification of the constitution, as that dictates our mutual government. Without that constitution, there is no United States.
If we returned to the Articles of Confederation, we might still be called The United States of America, but it would not be the same entity.

so when a state adopts a new constitution, it becomes a new state? shit, that means there have been well over a hundred states in this union. closing in on 150, i think. just for starters, we've had 6 alabamas, 4 illinoises, 7 virginias, and 3 new jersi.

All to easy.

A FAR more challenging test can be found here: http://usgovinfo.about.com/blinstst.htm

Can you pass the citizenship test?

only vermont. everybody else had a unified national gov't from the get-go.
No, they did not. The Contenetal Congress that met and issued the Decleration of Independence was nowhere near the same as the Congress that currently meets in Washington DC. The Articles of Confederation also did not 'make' the country we currently call the United States of America, it made an alliance called the United States of America. The Congress back in 1776 actually didn't have a lot of power, something that caused the framers to write the Constitution in the first place.

they are still sovereign now
Not the way they were. They were able to deny taxes, raise their own troops, print their own money, set duties for trade between the states, and enter into treties with other powers. The states now have been stripped of all that power and are subservient to the Constitution (as apposed to trumping the Articles).

so when a state adopts a new constitution, it becomes a new state? shit, that means there have been well over a hundred states in this union. just for starters, we've had 6 alabamas, 4 illinoises, 7 virginias, and 3 new jersi.
US Constitution, not state constituions.

only vermont. everybody else had a unified national gov't from the get-go.
And that bond is the same as the current one? As far as I knew, the Articles were abandoned upon ratification of the Constitution.


they are still sovereign now

Not nearly as much

so when a state adopts a new constitution, it becomes a new state? shit, that means there have been well over a hundred states in this union. just for starters, we've had 6 alabamas, 4 illinoises, 7 virginias, and 3 new jersi.
Essentially, yes. A new constitution creates a new government, disolving the previous one. In the same way that France became a new country after the revolution, and again after Napoleon, and same as Germany in its assorted political shifts, they are fundamentally different states.

The moment that is used to define statehood is the moment that a state joined the current United States: either they ratified the constitution (the 13 original states) or by congressional act.
That is the measurement history, the federal government, and the state governments use, as seen below.

This unanimous ratification took place in a convention of Dover on December 7, 1787, whereby Delaware became "The First State" of the new Federal Union.
http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/50sq_program/index.cfm?action=schedule
http://worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/usasthod.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_date_of_statehood
http://www.50states.com/statehood.htm

Not surprisingly, every source lists Delaware as the first state to join The United States of America, citing December 7, 1787 (the date of ratification of the federal constitution) as the date of official statehood within the union.

I'm Lincoln

***You Are a Smart American***


You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.


Are You a Dumb American?
http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

All to easy.

A FAR more challenging test can be found here: http://usgovinfo.about.com/blinstst.htm

Can you pass the citizenship test?


ooo fun! gonna try this now.

i guessed most of them. but then i'm not even an american.
You Are Not a Dumb American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-3.jpg

You got 7/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

And that bond is the same as the current one?

no. but neither is it the same as the one before the 14th amendment. or the 17th for that matter.

Not surprisingly, every source lists Delaware as the first state to join The United States of America, citing December 7, 1787 (the date of ratification of the federal constitution) as the date of official statehood within the union.

and every source will also list there as being only 50 states, despite the nearly 150 state constitutions. seems to me that the sources haven't thought this through all the way. though what they have done is adopted the usian historical myth that jumps from 1776 to 1789 without blinking.

no. but neither is it the same as the one before the 14th amendment. or the 17th for that matter.
There is a huge difference between scrapping and entire document, and making an amendment. The form of government is still the same, the divisions of power, the systems put in place...although they might be minorly altered, it is not the same as a complete new system.


and every source will also list there as being only 50 states, despite the nearly 150 state constitutions. seems to me that the sources haven't thought this through all the wayCute. Really. Adorable even.
We are discussing the federal union. Once a state is in, it is in. It changes its constituion, it is essentially a new state, yes. But it doesn't have to re-join the nation.
Same as France, England, and every other state does not need to be listed dozens of times, nor do the US states.
though what they have done is adopted the usian historical myth that jumps from 1776 to 1789 without blinking. It doesn't skip that time period. It is taught. We all know it. The current union of The United States of America began with the modern constitution...unless, of course, you'd like to argue that New England is still a political dominion, or that Hawai'i and Texas are still independent nations....

You Are a Smart American

http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/

I'm even smart enough to know it should have been your opinions, not you're opinions. ;)

The current union of The United States of America began with the modern constitution

and the biggest usian holiday is the 4th of july. seems like an explicit claiming of the revolutionary history as part and parcel of the same entity that exists today.

Cute. Really. Adorable even.
We are discussing the federal union. Once a state is in, it is in. It changes its constituion, it is essentially a new state, yes.

right, so there have been approximately 140ish states in the union. inform the textbooks!

and the maker of the quiz - they need to distinguish between delaware1, which became a state in 1776. now that one had the same constitution through the continental congress, the united states1, and the united states2, so delware1 can probably count under your proposed system as the first state to join both us1 and us2. but this should not be confused with delaware4, which only showed up in 1897, and is thus somewhere around 24th from the end.

and the biggest usian holiday is the 4th of july. seems like an explicit claiming of the revolutionary history as part and parcel of the same entity that exists today.

Yes, the date of our independence is important. Considering there is no single date for states to have joined the union, it is the closest we have to a national birthdate, and was the event that eventually lead to the modern United States.
In addition to being a national holiday, it is a pretty bad thing to use as justification in a debate.

The fact is that the modern day United States started the day the constitution was ratified by our first state, Delaware. I've cited the US government several times now in regards to Delaware. You don't want to buy into that? Cool.
Here's the list provided by the US government (once again):
http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/50sq_program/index.cfm?action=schedule
The important ones are the first 13...that gives us
1.Delaware (http://www.state.de.us/gic/facts/history/delhist.shtml)
2.Pennsylvania (http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/VC/visitor_info/pa_history/pa_history.htm)
3.New Jersey (http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/us/A0859954.html)
4.Georgia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Georgia_(U.S._state))
5.Connecticut (http://www.kids.state.ct.us/history.htm)
6.Massachusetts (http://www.50states.com/massachu.htm)
7.Maryland (http://www.postcardsfrom.com/fun/fun-md.html)
8.South Carolina (http://www.answers.com/topic/south-carolina)
9.New Hampshire (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-78116/New-Hampshire)
10.Virginia (http://www.shgresources.com/va/timeline/)
11.New York (http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/history.html)
12.North Carolina (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-78513/North-Carolina)
13.Rhode Island (http://www.postcardsfrom.com/fun/fun-ri.html)

Now, isn't it simply amazing and astounding that every single one of the websites published about the early history of The United States of America cites the date of ratification of the constitution as being the date of statehood within the US? And that they all give the exact same date? And that they all list Delaware as being the first state?

So. Who's wrong, me, history, historians, the federal government, every history text dealing with the subject, and the very states in question, or you?

Tough call.

But you go ahead and keep telling yourself that the Articles of Confederation created the same political body that the US Constitution did. Just like how the EU is exactly the same as the United Kingdom

and the biggest usian holiday is the 4th of july. seems like an explicit claiming of the revolutionary history as part and parcel of the same entity that exists today.
Which is called Independence Day, not Day that the Country was Created. There's a difference in the wording for a reason.

8 out of 10, not an american so I'm ok with that....

dumbest answer I've seen in an american game show Dog Eat Dog.....Q-What is the largest country in North America?.....



A-Asia.......

right, so there have been approximately 140ish states in the union. inform the textbooks!

and the maker of the quiz - they need to distinguish between delaware1, which became a state in 1776. now that one had the same constitution through the continental congress, the united states1, and the united states2, so delware1 can probably count under your proposed system as the first state to join both us1 and us2. but this should not be confused with delaware4, which only showed up in 1897, and is thus somewhere around 24th from the end.
Really, you can drop the facetious comments. They aren't helping you.

Let's put it a different way, shall we?
India. India is one of the oldest civilizations on Earth. It has existed as dozens of kingdoms, to a colony, to a democracy. All of these have been (overall) refered to as India. Is colonial India the same as modern-day, democratic India?

How about Egypt? Once an empire ruled by the Pharohs. Today, a republic. Same name, but are they the same?

A change in government is, in effect, creating a new state. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a state is
28. a. A particular form of polity or government. the state, the form of government and constitution established in a country; e.g. the popular state, democracy (cf. F. état populaire). state royal: a monarchy. Obs.
29. a. the state: the body politic as organized for supreme civil rule and government; the political organization which is the basis of civil government (either generally and abstractly, or in a particular country); hence, the supreme civil power and government vested in a country or nation.
(IE, the governing power)

It should not be confused with the nation
1. a. A large aggregate of communities and individuals united by factors such as common descent, language, culture, history, or occupation of the same territory, so as to form a distinct people.
(IE, the people)

or country
2. a. A tract or district having more or less definite limits in relation to human occupation.
(IE, the land)

by creating a new political organization, the state is changed, the nation and country remain static.

How about Egypt? Once an empire ruled by the Pharohs. Today, a republic. Same name, but are they the same?

well, they seem to view themselves as the successor state to some extent. from the egyptian constitution:

"We, the people of Egypt, who have been toiling on this glorious land since the dawn of history and civilization..."


tell me why 1976 was sort of a big deal in this country, and a much larger deal than 1987 or '89.

1. What are the colors of our flag? red white and blue

2. How many stars are there in our flag? 50

3. What color are the stars on our flag? white

4. What do the stars on the flag mean? states

5. How many stripes are there in the flag? 13

6. What color are the stripes? red and white

7. What do the stripes on the flag mean? the 13 confederate states lol. nah colonies

8. How many states are there in the Union? 50

9. What is the 4th of July? independence day

10. What is the date of Independence Day? july 4 1776

11. Independence from whom? england

12. What country did we fight during the Revolutionary War? england

13. Who was the first President of the United States? george washington

14. Who is the President of the United States today? gw bush

15. Who is the vice-president of the United States today? dick cheney

16. Who elects the President of the United States? electoral college

17. Who becomes President of the United States if the President should die? vice president

18. For how long do we elect the President? 4 yrs

19. What is the Constitution? our law

20. Can the Constitution be changed? yeah

21. What do we call a change to the Constitution? amendments

22. How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution? that i do not know

23. How many branches are there in our government? 3

24. What are the three branches of our government? legislative, judicial and executive

25. What is the legislative branch of our government? congress

26. Who makes the laws in the United States? congress

27. What is the Congress? representatives from the states, senators

28. What are the duties of Congress? to argue with each other, vote on bills, make laws etc.

29. Who elects the Congress? people from the states elect their senators for congress

30. How many senators are there in Congress? 100

31. Can you name the two senators from your state? shamefully .. no.

32. For how long do we elect each senator? 6 years

33. How many representatives are there in Congress? like 200 or so for each side, and maybe a few independents.. so 400 something i guess

34. For how long do we elect the representatives? 2 years?

35. What is the executive branch of our government? the accountants and the president

36. What is the judiciary branch of our government? supreme court

37. What are the duties of the Supreme Court? make decisions on laws.. judge cases that make it there

38. What is the supreme court law of the United States? constitution

39. What is the Bill of Rights? the 10 amendments

40. What is the capital of your state? Raleigh

41. Who is the current governor of your state? Edwards

42. Who becomes President of the United States if the President and the vice-president should die? Pelosi?

43. Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? I'd know them if I saw them.. probably wears a snappy robe.

44. Can you name thirteen original states? deleware, conneticut, massachusettes, rhode island, new york, new hampshire, pennsylvania, virginia ... hmm.. for shame! hope 8 out of 13 is good enough don't fail me and keep me from entering the US! *frown* I looked it up , and know now.. but won't act like I already knew them all. rest are new jersey, north carolina, south carolina, georgia and maryland. Can't believe I didn't know those.

45. Who said, "Give me liberty or give me death."? benjamin franklin?

46. Which countries were our enemies during World War II? ~sigh~ why are they asking this on this test? italy, japan and germany.

47. What are the 49th and 50th states of the Union? hawaii and alaska

48. How many terms can the President serve? supposibly 2

49. Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.? ~WTF~ why the hell is this on here? Michael King was a black civil right leader and a commie

50. Who is the head of your local government? ~?~ how are people trying to get into this country suppose to even have one? or do you have to live here first.. then take this test? I have no idea really.

51. According to the Constitution, a person must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible to become President. Name one of these requirements. a crook.. native born

52. Why are there 100 Senators in the Senate? 2 for each state?

53. Who selects the Supreme Court justice? the president(had to look that one up)

54. How many Supreme Court justice are there? 9?

55. Why did the Pilgrims come to America? what the hell difference does that make!? To make a better life for themselves I suppose.. they were probably starving from where they came from or something.. it was a 'new' land..ripe for the planting, hunting, fishing and building. (looked at the answer.. it says religious freedom.. oh, so they were running from catholics?)

56. What is the head executive of a state government called? governor

57. What is the head executive of a city government called? mayor

58. What holiday was celebrated for the first time by the Americans colonists? o good grief.. thanksgiving?

59. Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence? the man! thomas jefferson

60. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? july 4th 1776

61. What is the basic belief of the Declaration of Independence? that we're a sovereign nation?

62. What is the national anthem of the United States? star spangled banner

63. Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner? .. Key. can't remember whole name.. was watching the war or something and saw fire or bullets or something fly into the air .. and the words came to him.

64. Where does freedom of speech come from? what!? i think it's innate

65. What is a minimum voting age in the United States? 18

66. Who signs bills into law? president

67. What is the highest court in the United States? Supreme Court .. please stop repeating yourself.

68. Who was the President during the Civil War? Lincoln .. and Davis

69. What did the Emancipation Declaration do? freed the slaves in the south, but not the ones in the northern border states.

70. What special group advises the President? dunno (sigh..)

71. Which President is called the "Father of our country"? George Washington I guess since he was our first president.. again, haven't we covered this already?

72. What Immigration and Naturalization Service form is used to apply to become a naturalized citizen? no clue

73. Who helped the Pilgrims in America? american indians

74. What is the name of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America? ugh.. I forget.. that Santa Maria? The Pinto? (correct answer: The Mayflower) I knew that..

75. What are the 13 original states of the U.S. called? colonies?

76. Name 3 rights of freedom guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. right to bear arms, right to not incriminate yourself, right to not be searched without a warrant

77. Who has the power to declare the war? hmm good question.

78. What kind of government does the United States have? republic.. DeMoCracy

79. Which President freed the slaves? good lord .. Lincoln

80. In what year was the Constitution written? don't know .. damn. (answer: 1787)

81. What are the first 10 amendments to the Constitution called? bill of rights.. you are repeating yourself again. are you trying to brainwash me?

82. Name one purpose of the United Nations? to keep peace

83. Where does Congress meet? somewhere in the White House?

84. Whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights? guaruntee is a big word.. but the peoples

85. What is the introduction to the Constitution called? preamble

86. Name one benefit of being citizen of the United States. you get to pay taxes.. oh benefit .. uhh. (answer: Obtain federal government jobs, travel with U.S. passport, petition for close relatives to come to the U.S. to live.)

87. What is the most important right granted to U.S. citizens? the right to own your own home, business and land, with the opportunity to prosper and not have all of it taken from you, have a family/children, own guns, get drunk and ride ATVs, including horses. But this applies to most places right? (answer: The right to vote) not when they all suck, and your choices are who _they_ have planned and narrowed it down to, so that their agenda will be met no matter who you vote for. [ok, i'm tired and getting cynical]

88. What is the United States Capitol? Washington, D.C.

89. What is the White House? that big white house in Washington, D.C at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. add: where the president lives.

90. Where is the White House located? oh. i guess that was the wrong answer.

91. What is the name of the President's official home? ~sigh~ the White House

92. Name the right guaranteed by the first amendment. freedom of speech, press, religion..

93. Who is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. military? the president

94. Which President was the first Commander in Chief of the U.S. military? washington?

95. In what month do we vote for the President? november?

96. In what month is the new President inaugurated? january

97. How many times may a Senator be re-elected? 8? oh wait.. helms and thurmond .. 8x6 =48 .. has to be more than that. 12? (answer: indefinate)

98. How many times may a Congressman be re-elected? hmm (answer: indefinate)

99. What are the 2 major political parties in the U.S. today? republican and democrat of course.. AKA republicrats.

100. How many states are there in the United States today? 50

Damn .. that took a while.

*SNIP*
Damn .. that took a while.
Not bad, you missed a few though. I believe the passing rate is 78%.

well, they seem to view themselves as the successor state to some extent. from the egyptian constitution:

"We, the people of Egypt, who have been toiling on this glorious land since the dawn of history and civilization..."
I'm not saying that there isn't some aspect of succession. But the current United States started with Delaware on December 7, 1787

tell me why 1976 was sort of a big deal in this country, and a much larger deal than 1987 or '89.

the beginning of self-determination? See NERVUN's post...it is the year of independence, not the year of unification.

And why would the entire nation celebrate an individual state joining the union? That would be a state celebration, as it has shown to be.
1776 represents the year that the colonies of America created a condition in which the modern United States could exist. That doesn't mean the nation started that day.

Not bad, you missed a few though. I believe the passing rate is 78%.

I started checking my mistakes.. got to 6 then lost my place. I'm guessing I missed between 10 and 15. I can't believe this is the test for citizenship though. Some of those questions should have nothing to do with it. They should ask questions about more relevant things, that would effect them now. Knowing why the puritans came here, or what ship they came on .. will have nothing to do with them while here. But I'm not suprised..

/rant on You go to apply for a job nowadays and you have to take these 'tests' that ask questions that have absolutely nothing to do with the work you will be involved with. And they do the same thing.. repeat questions, changing the wording.. but they are questions like "it's a tragedy in society today, that guilty people are set free by our judicial system" What the hell has that go to do with me operating a freaking machine .. or inspecting parts. I've filled out numerous of these questionnares.. The last time I was handed one, I gritted my teeth, sat down and started reading the questions.. same ones I've answered soo many times already .. I got fed up, handed it back to them and said look man, I just want a damn job. I got hired. /rant off

You Are a Smart American

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

------------------------------------------------------------------

That was actually easy. Suprised they wouldnt try something harder then that.

I started checking my mistakes.. got to 6 then lost my place. I'm guessing I missed between 10 and 15. I can't believe this is the test for citizenship though. Some of those questions should have nothing to do with it. They should ask questions about more relevant things, that would effect them now. Knowing why the puritans came here, or what ship they came on .. will have nothing to do with them while here. But I'm not suprised..

/rant on You go to apply for a job nowadays and you have to take these 'tests' that ask questions that have absolutely nothing to do with the work you will be involved with. And they do the same thing.. repeat questions, changing the wording.. but they are questions like "it's a tragedy in society today, that guilty people are set free by our judicial system" What the hell has that go to do with me operating a freaking machine .. or inspecting parts. I've filled out numerous of these questionnares.. The last time I was handed one, I gritted my teeth, sat down and started reading the questions.. same ones I've answered soo many times already .. I got fed up, handed it back to them and said look man, I just want a damn job. I got hired. /rant off

What ship they came on, sure...but I'd say it is good to know some of the history, like why the puritans came here...it helps to explain where we came from, and has impact on where we're going...plus, that kinda stuff is 1st grade history...its not like they're asking for an essay on why the North was in a better position to win the Civil War

And why would the entire nation celebrate an individual state joining the union?

'87 is the constitutional convention, '89 is when the government under it took office

1776 represents the year that the colonies of America created a condition in which the modern United States could exist. That doesn't mean the nation started that day.

the colonies had already agreed to a union in the years before then, actually. the continental congress called itself the united colonies before they declared independence. the union has been constant since the early days of the revolution, with additions over time.

btw, from the declaration of independence:
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America..."

the union has been constant since the early days of the revolution, with additions over time.
No, it has not. The Union of 1776 is not the same Union of 1789. There are some major differences there.

btw, from the declaration of independence:
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America..."
That USA was an alliance, again, the same as the current EU, not a unified nation. They did not think of themselves as such, they thought of themselves as a grouping of 13 seperate nations.

'87 is the constitutional convention, '89 is when the government under it took office So if a new constitutional convention was called, and we formed a union similar to the EU, would we be the same united states? I'll give you a hint...the answer starts with a "n"

See NERVUN's post, as he said it all as well or better than I would

The creation as entities as states fueled the nullification debates and the Civil War.

Does anyone remember the map of all American wars and their deaths? It listed casualties by party, and it listed Washington a President from 1776-1796. :rolleyes:

You Are a Smart American
You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

No, it has not. The Union of 1776 is not the same Union of 1789. There are some major differences there.

not identical, no. but the same union none the less. both are part of a continuous chain of a unified body formed for the purpose of collective action, starting as far back as the revolutionaries' committees of correspondence.

not identical, no. but the same union none the less. both are part of a continuous chain of a unified body formed for the purpose of collective action, starting as far back as the revolutionaries' committees of correspondence.
Legally, no, as well as not the same in puropse. Again, with the ratification of the Constitution, an actual body called the United States of America was created, one with a strong central athority. Before hand there WAS so central athority and NO united body, just an allience. The best way to look at the US from 1776 till 1789 would be to compare it to the United Nations of today, something that doesn't have all that much athority and its members retain all control, and ability to ignore it. Should the UN ever turn into a world government, maybe even calling itself the UN still, our UN might be a forerunner, it may be that UN Day is celebrated as its birthday, but it would not be the UN as we know it now.

Legally, no, as well as not the same in puropse. Again, with the ratification of the Constitution, an actual body called the United States of America was created, one with a strong central athority. Before hand there WAS so central athority and NO united body, just an allience. The best way to look at the US from 1776 till 1789 would be to compare it to the United Nations of today, something that doesn't have all that much athority and its members retain all control, and ability to ignore it. Should the UN ever turn into a world government, maybe even calling itself the UN still, our UN might be a forerunner, it may be that UN Day is celebrated as its birthday, but it would not be the UN as we know it now.

legally yes - the current united states government is the direct successor state to the previous united states, which was itself the direct successor to the previous united states, which was the direct successor to the united colonies, which formed out of the formalization of the committees of correspondence.

the constitution itself states this. the united states are pre-existing, but now they intend to form a more perfect union, improving on the already perpetual union they had formed earlier. and the new constitution fully adopted all debts and obligations of its earlier incarnation, just as the articles had done before.

should the UN ever become a world government, it will be the same entity as now, but different. this is perfectly sensible - organizations evolve.

legally yes - the current united states government is the direct successor state to the previous united states, which was itself the direct successor to the previous united states, which was the direct successor to the united colonies, which formed out of the formalization of the committees of correspondence.

the constitution itself states this. the united states are pre-existing, but now they intend to form a more perfect union, improving on the already perpetual union they had formed earlier. and the new constitution fully adopted all debts and obligations of its earlier incarnation, just as the articles had done before.


Where does it say that?(The pre-existing part)

Where does it say that?(The pre-existing part)

the preamble

in order for there to be people of the united states, there must already be a united states that they live in. likewise with establishing a constitution for the united states. and in order to form a more perfect union, there must already be a union to acquire more perfection.

the preamble

in order for there to be people of the united states, there must already be a united states that they live in. likewise with establishing a constitution for the united states. and in order to form a more perfect union, there must already be a union to acquire more perfection.
And that previous union was nothing more than a weak confederation along the lines of the Iroquois Confederation or European Union. The states worked together, but were not united. They were 13 seperate entities working together to make their survival a little easier.

The constitution made the move to form a singular entity: The United States of America, a federal democratic republic. That had the same name, yes. But they were no where near remotely close to the same entity. It is like comparing the modern EU to the modern US. They just don't correspond.

legally yes - the current united states government is the direct successor state to the previous united states, which was itself the direct successor to the previous united states, which was the direct successor to the united colonies, which formed out of the formalization of the committees of correspondence.
Legally, no. Unless said government takes on the debts or other issues of the previous government, it is not the same. For one thing, there WAS no government of the United States of America. The Congress didn't have an exec (hint, good ol' George is called the first president for a reason), or much of anything really.

the constitution itself states this. the united states are pre-existing, but now they intend to form a more perfect union, improving on the already perpetual union they had formed earlier. and the new constitution fully adopted all debts and obligations of its earlier incarnation, just as the articles had done before.
No, the united states existed, meaning the allience of states, the United States did not exist yet. There was no such country called The United States.

should the UN ever become a world government, it will be the same entity as now, but different. this is perfectly sensible - organizations evolve.
*sighs* Not the way that it is counted. The Japan that exists today is NOT the Japanese Empire and is NOT the Tokugawa Government. The Federal Republic of Germany is NOT the German Democratic Republic, and is NOT the Third Reich, and is NOT the Weimar Republic, and is NOT the Second German Empire, and is NOT the Holy Roman Empire either. Nor is France... Ok, I'm not going through all the stuff France changed into.

The Constitution created a new nation, one that did not actually exist before it was ratified. What came before was the united states of America, a different entity than the United States of America.

Got 8/10, Wouldn't it be fun if we gave the americans a quiz about europe so we could see how poor they would score?

Got 8/10, Wouldn't it be fun if we gave the americans a quiz about europe so we could see how poor they would score?

If they were equally difficult questions, sure.

If it was another excuse to say "haha! Look! Americans don't know European history! LOLZ!"
then no, not so much.

Legally, no. Unless said government takes on the debts or other issues of the previous government, it is not the same.

us constitution, article VI.
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

articles of confederation, article XII.
All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed, and debts contracted by, or under the authority of Congress, before the assembling of the United States, in pursuance of the present confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the United States, for payment and satisfaction whereof the said United States, and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.

us constitution, article VI.
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

articles of confederation, article XII.
All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed, and debts contracted by, or under the authority of Congress, before the assembling of the United States, in pursuance of the present confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the United States, for payment and satisfaction whereof the said United States, and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.
Yes? And?

Here:
us constitution, article VI.
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.
The language used here is noting that the Confederation was NOT the same beastie as the United States.

You Are a Smart American
http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg
You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.


Woohoo, I'm a smart American!

You Are Not a Dumb American
http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-3.jpg
You got 7/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!
Basic or me not caring?
---------------------------
http://www.blogthings.com/areyouaclasslesknobtest/outcome.php (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12394130&postcount=10)
---------------------------
You Are a Smart American
http://images.blogthings.com/areyouadumbamericanquiz/american-4.jpg
You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.
Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Woohoo, I'm a smart American!
Too bad they are still below Aussies aye?;)

It dared claim I was smart, but I'm determined to buck this stereotype as well. Thankfully, due to the transient nature of "fact," all I have to do is say something that can be contested and later proven wrong. Thus... aw shoot, I did it again. Oh well... I assure you I'm dimmer than the comparitive helium fusion reaction of a white dwarf when opposed to- damn! I'm doing it again!


Note: What's all this about Delaware? I said Virginia, and it didn't comment I was wrong. Besides, the Union formed upon independance, the motion for which was made by Virginia. As for who signed the Articles of Confederation first, I can't recall, but does it really matter?

Yes? And?

Here:
us constitution, article VI.
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.
The language used here is noting that the Confederation was NOT the same beastie as the United States.

I would say that's showing a consistent transition, but that's just me. Think about it: they're saying that the debts made under the previous agreement still apply under the new one, proving that it's just a change of government- not entity.

us constitution, article VI.
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

articles of confederation, article XII.
All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed, and debts contracted by, or under the authority of Congress, before the assembling of the United States, in pursuance of the present confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the United States, for payment and satisfaction whereof the said United States, and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.

My understanding of that is, though, this:
They're saying, "Hey, since we're responsible for dissolving the old entity to create this one, we'll make good on the debts from our old union."
It only makes sense for them to do this, even if they are creating a seperate political entity, and this is why: If they said "Nope, since we're a new nation, those debts don't apply any more," even if they'd technically be right, the lenders wouldn't lend them anything in the future. "Hah! You'll just pile up the debt and then, when it's too much to pay, form yet another new nation. Nice try, guys."