Just 26% of Americans said they have read or heard a lot about the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary ahead of July 4, while 57% had heard some and 17% nothing at all.
The June 9-15 Marquette Law School Poll of 1,514 adults found interest rose with stronger approval of President Donald Trump, suggesting the semiquincentennial is drawing uneven attention across political lines.
The awareness level closely matches 1976: a Roper poll 50 years ago found 28% followed Bicentennial news closely, 50% casually and 22% not at all.
Broader sentiment in the survey was more upbeat than the anniversary awareness numbers, with 75% saying America is better than most countries and 66% saying they are very or somewhat proud of the nation.
Views of national figures also skewed positive—Benjamin Franklin posted an 84-point net favorability and George Washington 81—while Trump’s job approval held unchanged from May at 38%, with 62% disapproving.