New US dollar coin: The Americans don't know their Presidents

[SteelersMongol]

US Mint to Release Jefferson Dollar Coin

WASHINGTON (AP) - Most folks can correctly name George Washington as the nation's first president. After that, things get tricky.

The U.S. Mint is hoping its new dollar coin series will help refresh some hazy memories of Adams, Jefferson and all the rest.

That could be a tall order, however, given the results of a poll the Mint commissioned to find out just how much knowledge Americans have about their presidents.

According to the telephone poll, conducted by the Gallup Organization last month, nearly all those questioned knew that Washington was the first president. However, only 30 percent could name Thomas Jefferson as the nation's third president, and memories of the other presidents and where they fit in was even more limited.

Mint Director Edmund Moy believes the new dollar coin series will be an antidote for that. And he can cite a good precedent. The Mint's 50-state quarter program, the most popular coin series in history, has gotten 150 million Americans involved in collecting the quarters that are honoring the states in the order they were admitted to the Union...

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D8R1AMF00.html

[SteelersMongol]

What is the problem, folks? I mean we, Mongolians, don't have many Presidents to forget as the only third one is serving his term. But IMO, you guys are the some of the most patriotic people I'd have known.

For youth, it could be today's educational system, or lack of parents teachings, or this is how today's kids are like. But the Americans in general? Just curious.

[Godfather]

Even if you learn all that stuff in school, you forget it over time.

When I was in college, the campus humor publication went to Boston for spring break and visited the Feredom Trail. They found a group of elementary school students who had no problem answering questions about American history.

Then they gound a group of high school students who didn't do so well. Who made the ride with Paul Revere? "Uh...his horse?" What was Crispus Attucks' profession? "Uh... he was black?"

Finally they found a drunk college student who didn't know squat.

I remember more American history than most, but I've forgotten other things. I remember very little chemistry and physics (but for some reason remember biology better), and I've forgotten a good bit of world history.

[83-Steelers-43]

IMO, in honor of great American's such as Sean Penn and Danny Glover, the U.S. mint should introduce a Hugo Chavez coin.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by 83-Steelers-43

IMO, in honor of great American's such as Sean Penn and Danny Glover, the U.S. mint should introduce a Hugo Chavez coin.

[RoethlisBURGHer]

The thing is, SteelersMongol, we are on our 43rd President of the United States in President Bush.

For just about everyone, memorizing every President is not important and something we won't need to know in everyday life. I cannot think of one time it will be important for me to know that.

It won't help me when I go to become a firefighter, it doesn't help me drive my car, it doesn't help me make more money.

See where I am coming from? We're patriotic, I love my country, but that is all trivial information.

[Hammer67]

True...but there are people out there that don't even know who the president is now! Leno finds them weekly!

It is true, though, that we don't need to know everything taught in a High School civics class by heart, but we should at least understand the Bill fo Rights and know about the current branches of government.

Knowing all the presidents and their order is good for Jeapordy and that's about it.

[PisnNapalm]

I disagree. I believe that if more Americans took an interest in their country's history we'd be a much stronger nation.

[fansince'76]

Originally Posted by Godfather

Even if you learn all that stuff in school, you forget it over time.

Exactly. Unless you're a history teacher, or a museum curator or something along those lines, there simply isn't much call for a working adult to retain in their memory the names of presidents and where they fall in line sequentially.

[tony hipchest]

how in the hell did we ever elect a guy named Grover?

"near........................faaaaar "