More than half of Americans surveyed were able to name at least two members of the cartoon Simpson family, while only 28% could name more than one of the five fundamental freedoms granted to them by the First Amendment to the Constitution. And although more than one in five (22%) Americans can name all five of the fictional Simpsons -- Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie -- just one in 1000 people surveyed could name all five freedoms granted under the First Amendment. For the record, those freedoms are freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and the freedom to petition for redress of grievances.

Not that Americans limit themselves intellectually to Simpson trivia. Some 41% were able to name two of the three "American Idol" judges. On the other hand, 69% could name Freedom of Speech, just 11% could name Freedom of the Press.

Meanwhile, a surprising number of Americans believe they have rights that aren't necessarily granted at all. For instance, about one in five believed that the First Amendment granted them the right to own and raise pets. The same number of people believed that the right to drive is guaranteed by the First Amendment, even though the car was not invented until 100 years later. "These survey results clearly demonstrate that many Americans don't have an understanding of the freedoms they regularly enjoy," said Dave Anderson, Executive Director of the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum.

The random telephone survey of 1,000 American adults was conducted in anticipation of the April launch of the Freedom Museum in Chicago by the McCormick Tribune Foundation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its founding by Col. Robert R. McCormick, the longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune.  The museum hopes to inspire its primary audience of middle and high school students to something more than expertise in pop culture, illustrating the many facets of the democratic process while promoting a sense of civic responsibility. It will also explain the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.