The Annenberg Public Policy Center's annual, nationally representative survey finds that when U.S. adults are asked to name the specific rights guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, only one right is recalled by most of the respondents: Freedom of speech, which 77% named.

The civics knowledge survey, released annually to celebrate Constitution Day (Sept. 17), also finds that although two-thirds of Americans (66%) can name all three branches of government, 10% can name two, 7% can name only one, and 17% cannot name any.

The Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey was fielded in a year of high-profile events that propelled the workings of government into the daily news cycle, which included four criminal indictments of former President Donald Trump; trials for those charged in the 2021 assault on the Capitol; Supreme Court rulings that sidelined race-conscious college admissions programs and a Biden Administration student-loan forgiveness plan; several justices being dogged by allegations of unethical conduct; the collapse of a plea deal to resolve a gun charge and tax offenses by President Joe Biden's son Hunter; and discussions by House Republicans whether to open impeachment proceedings against Biden.