Let’s start with the good news, because it is real.
This year, 70% of American adults can name all three branches of government - executive, legislative, and judicial. That is up from 65% a year ago, and it is the highest figure the Annenberg Public Policy Center has recorded.
Ask which rights the First Amendment guarantees, and 79% name freedom of speech - also the highest in the survey’s history.
Civic knowledge is climbing.
Now ask what those branches are for.
What we know, and what we do not
Freedom of speech is named by 79% of Americans. Each of the other four First Amendment rights is named by fewer than half. Freedom of religion, the next most often cited, is named by 48%.
Freedom of the press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government fall below that.
So nearly four in five of us can name one right we exercise every day. Fewer than half can name the right to worship as we choose. Fewer still can name the right to state our thoughts publicly, to assemble peacefully, or to demand that our government answer us.
This is just one example. If we go deeper, it is scary to consider how little most of us know about our rights and how our government is uniquely structured. But we all have opinions that lack a full factual foundation.
The result: Americans are rapidly abandoning our covenant with freedom - without realizing it, nor comprehending the risk.
Then there is the Court
Ask Americans whether they trust the Supreme Court to operate in their best interests. 41% say they have at least a moderate amount of trust. Ten months earlier it was 44%.
But the average is not the number that should stop you. The split is.
Among Republicans, 75% have at least moderate trust in the Court. Among independents, 38%. Among Democrats, 18%.
That is a 57-point gap between the two major parties, on a single institution - the one branch designed to stand furthest from politics.
Read that again.
The answer to “is the Supreme Court working in your interest?” no longer depends much on the Court. It depends on your party.
Why this is a major problem
Knowing the three branches of American government is a start. It is not the same as understanding how carefully and wisely our republic was designed to protect common citizens - and put us all on equal ground.
Citizens who can name the branches - but cannot say what they are for - have seen the roof of a house and assumed the whole structure is sound. They know nothing about the stability of the foundation, the framing, the wiring, the plumbing, or anything else that affects their ability to reside there long-term.
They may be able to provide a minimum outline of how a bill becomes law and have an opinion on whether the law is just - or not. But they do not read the law or study credible commentaries on the law.
That is the gap. Not knowledge of basic structure. The gap is comprehending the purpose of our government, how it operates, and whether the actions of our politicians and bureaucrats are consistent with our covenant to maintain what’s best for the common good.
If you do not know what the covenant is, you cannot tell when it has been broken. So, you take the easy route. Without question - or much thought - you accept the soundbites of your political party, a misguided zealot in the media, or a charismatic friend - which is precisely what the Supreme Court numbers show us doing.
Simple Liberty exists to teach you how to protect yourself, your loved ones, your assets, and your freedom. We can do this.
Go deeper
The thought, effort, and integrity of our Founders’ design of the United States of America is unique in all the world’s history.
We are not the only place to learn how our American republic works, and we would not want to be. It’s in your best interest - especially during these turbulent times - to better comprehend how our government was built and what it was designed to protect.
Here is an easy path:
Listen to these free courses while at the gym, walking, driving - time you do have available no matter how busy you are. And complete the quizzes for each lesson when you’re not driving - when it’s safe to do so.
Even better - watch the courses with family and friends. Discuss what you learn.
Introduction to the Constitution - https://online.hillsdale.edu/courses/promo/intro-to-the-constitution
The Real American Founding: A Conversation - https://online.hillsdale.edu/courses/promo/real-american-founding
Congress: How It Worked and Why It Doesn’t - https://online.hillsdale.edu/landing/congress
American Citizenship and Its Decline - https://online.hillsdale.edu/courses/promo/american-citizenship-and-its-decline
NOTE: These free courses come from Hillsdale College, which is conservative. We recommend them for one reason: We have taken them, and they are overflowing with facts. If you know a course that offers similar value, please email us. We will consider it.
SOURCES:2025 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey, Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, released September 11, 2025.Conducted for APPC by SSRS.Civics knowledge questions were asked in August 2025 (n=1,684).Supreme Court trust questions were asked in March 2025 (n=1,363).Margin of sampling error ±3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.