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Today, the importance of the U.S. Constitution to the everyday lives of U.S. citizens cannot be underestimated. Constitutional scholar Floyd G. Cullop, when asked why we should study the Constitution, noted

"The answer is simple enough . . . because this Constitution is the most important thing in the lives of every person living in the United States. Your way of life is built around it, your government is based upon it, and your rights and privileges as United States citizens are protected by it. To be ignorant of the Constitution, is to be ignorant of all the things your country is . . . and of the truths its people have believed to be above all others in the relationships between human beings and government." (The Constitution of the United States: An Introduction, 1969, p. v)

Despite the importance of the Constitution, a great many Americans know surprisingly little about the document that touches so many aspects of their lives. A 1998 survey of teens released by the National Constitution Center revealed the following answers to selected pairs of questions:

In what city was the US Constitution written? (Philadelphia)	25.5%
In what city would you find the zip code 90210? (Beverly Hills)	75.2%
How many US Senators are there? (100)	21.2%
How many brothers are there in the musical group "Hanson"? (3)	81.2%
What are the first three words of the Constitution? ("We the People")	35.5%
What are the first three letters after "http"of almost every website address? (www)	71.2%
Name the three branches of the federal government. (Executive, Judicial, Legislative)	41.2%
Name as many of the Three Stooges as you can. (Curly/Larry/Moe/Shemp/Curly Joe)	59.2%
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States? (William Rehnquist)	2.2%
Who played the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on Television? (Will Smith)	94.7%
Who is considered the father of the US Constitution? (James Madison)	1.8%
Who is considered the father of the computer company Microsoft? (Bill Gates)	58.3%