Jeep Says Americans Need to Brush Up History
Nearly 90 percent of Americans fail to name Presidents on Mount Rushmore National Memorial, almost one-third of those surveyed did not know that four presidents are featured on the monument
February 24, 2006
During the month of February, the country pauses to remember our nation's presidents, including Abraham Lincoln (February 12), George Washington (February 22) and all of the others who have served in the most powerful position in the world (President's Day, February 20). In spite of this, nearly 90 percent of Americans can't name the four famous presidential faces carved into the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, according to a Jeep brand study.
Jeep conducted the study in anticipation of the launch of the all-new 2006 Jeep Commander and the 65th anniversaries of the Jeep brand and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, an icon of American history and the commanders in chief.
Additional survey results include:
Almost one in 10 18- to 24-year-olds incorrectly named Abraham Lincoln as the first president of the U.S. Three percent of college graduates could not name the current president of the United States. More than half (52 percent) of respondents did not know that Franklin D. Roosevelt was president for most of World War II.
If given the option, 22 percent of people surveyed chose JFK as the president they would most want to see on Mount Rushmore followed by Ronald Reagan (21 percent) and Franklin Roosevelt (15 percent) (Disclaimer: Mount Rushmore National Memorial will never be able to add another president to the monument per an agreement with the family of Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor responsible for the carvings.)
More than half the respondents (51 percent) were unable to name Andrew Jackson as the president on the U.S. $20 bill. More than half (51 percent) of those surveyed couldn't place the quote "speak softly, but carry a big stick" with Theodore Roosevelt. Fifty-six percent didn't recognize Harry Truman's quote "the buck stops here."
To shine the spotlight on our commanders in chief, the Jeep brand developed the "Jeep Commander in History" essay contest, an educational program to encourage America's youth to take an earnest interest in our nation's deep history and the legacy of our founding fathers.
"With this Jeep study, we identified the need to promote civics and national history education," said Jay Kuhnie, Director " Jeep Communications. "With the launch of the all-new Jeep Commander, we thought it was a good opportunity to reach the younger generation and instill an interest in our nation's past.'"
The Jeep Commander in History contest closes on President's Day, Monday, February 20, and the grand prize winner will be announced on the week of March 27, 2006, to kick off a year-long celebration of the 65th anniversary of Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the Jeep brand. The contest Web site, www.JeepCommanderInHistory.com, is still open to visitors looking to test their presidential knowledge with a Commander in History quiz. Updates on the grand prize winner will also be posted after March 27.