Alton, Mo. –Alton, Missouri, held its 4th of July celebration on July 3, 2024. The AltonMo.com team had the chance to interview locals and give out goodie bags while at the fireworks. The questions asked were as follows: 1. Before Washington, D.C., what city was the United States first capitol?, 2. Louisiana just ruled that the Ten Commandments must be in every classroom. Can you name two of the Ten Commandments?, 3. What are the first three words of the Constitution?, 4. Who was the first commander in chief?, and the bonus question was What is the United States motto?
First Question
The first question asked was Before Washington, D.C., what city was the United States first capitol? Hardly anyone got this question without a hint; and even then, not many people got it.
- Answered correctly: 19%
- Answered incorrectly: 81%
Ten Commandments
The next question was can you name two of the Ten Commandments. The majority of people polled answered with the Bill of Rights, but after getting them on the track of “Thou shalt not…” most people got it correct.
- Answered correctly: 68%
- Answered incorrectly: 32%
Constitution
The third question asked was “What are the first three words of the Constitution?” For this one, people either knew it or did not know it.
- Answered correctly: 59%
- Answered incorrectly: 41%
Commander in Chief
The final official question was “Who was the first commander in chief?” Most of the people polled knew the answer.
- Answered correctly: 62%
- Answered incorrectly: 38%
Bonus!
This year, the AltonMo.com added a bonus question to their polling. The bonus question was “What is the United States motto?” Some common answers were “Land of the Free” and “Home of the Brave.” Barely anyone knew the answer.
- Answered correctly: 16%
- Answered incorrectly: 64%
Answers
If you were testing your knowledge with these questions, here are the answers:
- First capitol: New York City
- Ten Commandments: You shall have no other god’s before me, thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images, thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy, honor your father and mother, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not lie, and thou shalt not covet.
- Constitution: “We the people.”
- Commander in Chief: George Washington
- United States motto: “In God We Trust.”
Every individual polled by the AltonMo.com field team got a goodie bag with various items in it, both from AltonMo.com and local businesses and churches. A big thank you to those who donated to the bags: Alton Drug Store, Shelter Insurance, Victory Free Will Baptist Church, Riverton Baptist Church, Grateful Acres Farmstead, Thayer First Assembly of God, and Alton Assembly of God.
