Does This Really Matter?

Partly because tomorrow is July 4th (that's Independence Day to all you Canadians :o), and partly because Daniel loves doing online quizzes like this one, I'm encouraging everyone to take the US citizenship quiz. This should certainly be easy for any native American, right? Well, I scored 70%, which is passing... But what does this say for my patriotism, education (homeschooling, no less), and understanding of history? Now, I know Daniel will not be surprised with my score. He rather enjoys my retelling of history, I guess - he laughs a lot when he hears me.

So, if someone was really trying to become a citizen of our country, would knowing these answers really matter? I guess these things are taught in our schools, but no one is born with this knowledge. However, people are born citizens of the US. Who decided that knowing the name of our Chief Justice qualifies you to receive all the benefits of being a US citizen?

And anyway, what exactly are the benefits of being a US citizen? You have to pay taxes either way. You have to obey the laws either way. You have to start at the bottom and work your way up either way. According to the US Citizenship website, the only thing you gain as a citizen is the right to vote. Hmm... I'll let you decide if that's worth it or not.

So, have a happy July 4th. Enjoy those fireworks and that hotdog. See a parade. Dress in red, white, and blue. After all, you've earned it if you passed the citizenship test.