D1. First, which of the following BEST describes what you think the term “history” means?

History is names, dates, and other facts about what happened in the past	66%
History is what people remember about the past	5%
History is an explanation of experiences in the past	17%
History is what historians have concluded about the past	9%
Something else	3%
	N = 1811

D2. In your own words, please tell us what you think the term “history” means? [Asked of respondents who selected “something else” in D1] [Verbatim responses]

S1. Since January of 2019, did you do any of the following activities to learn about events in the past?

Took a college course, either in person or online	8% (143)
Listened to a podcast or radio program about historical events	25% (449)
Watched a documentary film or video about historical events	69% (1253)
Went on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and other sources to learn about historical events	26% (453)
Watched cable or network television news about historical events	62% (1126)
Read a newspaper or magazine article about historical events, either online or in print	55% (1114)
Visited a museum in person or online	35% (1012)
Visited a historic site, such as a battlefield, monument, or building, either in person or online	38% (695)
Read a nonfiction book about historical events	32% (584)
Read a historical fiction book	26% (481)
Talked with someone in my community about historical events	37% (690)
Read a religious document, such as the Bible or Qur’an	39% (692)
Took a DNA test such as those offered by companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA	11% (201)
Attended a lecture about history, either in person or online	12% (212)
Looked into the history of your family or worked on your family tree	33% (621)
Watched a fictional film, television, or online program set in the past	66% (1212)
Consulted Wikipedia about historical events	46% (845)
Did a search on the internet (not including Wikipedia) about historical events	59% (1073)
Played history-related video games	11% (217)

S2. Are there other activities not mentioned that you did since January of 2019 to learn about the past? If yes, please specify:

Yes [Verbatim responses]	11%
I did not do anything since January of 2019 to learn about the past	89%
	N = 1816

S3. Out of these, which FIVE did you use the most for learning about events since January of 2019? [Asked only of those who selected more than 5 sources in S1 and S2; otherwise S3 skipped]

Summary measure of sources identified as those relied upon most frequently through combination of S1 and S2.

Took a college course, either in person or online	5% (71)
Listened to a podcast or radio program about historical events	12% (184)
Watched a documentary film or video about historical events	55% (770)
Went on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and other sources to learn about historical events	14% (197)
Watched cable or network television news about historical events	42% (530)
Read a newspaper or magazine article about historical events, either online or in print	33% (464)
Visited a museum in person or online	18% (266)
Visited a historic site, such as a battlefield, monument, or building, either in person or online	18% (277)
Read a nonfiction book about historical events	17% (276)
Read a historical fiction book	10% (154)
Talked with someone in my community about historical events	15% (211)
Read a religious document, such as the Bible or Qur’an	26% (298)
Took a DNA test such as those offered by companies like 23anMe and AncestryDNA	6% (81)
Attended a lecture about history, either in person or online	4% (59)
Looked into the history of your family or worked on your family tree	18% (254)
Watched a fictional film, television, or online program set in the past	37% (446)
Consulted Wikipedia about historical events	27% (414)
Did a search on the internet (not including Wikipedia) about historical events	36% (524)
Played history related video games	3% (53)

S4b. Please identify how much, if at all, each of these made you want to learn more about history.

		A great deal	Some	Just a little	Not at all	N
Took a college course, either in person or online		41%	31%	22%	6%	71
Listened to a podcast or radio program about historical events		43%	41%	11%	4%	184
Watched a documentary film or video about historical events		36%	45%	15%	4%	768
Went on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and other sources to learn about historical events		23%	48%	23%	7%	196
Watched cable or network television news about historical events		25%	50%	19%	7%	527
Read a newspaper or magazine article about historical events, either online or in print		27%	47%	19%	7%	464
Visited a museum in person or online		42%	42%	15%	1%	266
Visited a historic site, such as a battlefield, monument, or building, either in person or online		47%	34%	15%	4%	277
Read a nonfiction book about historical events		43%	40%	14%	2%	276
Read a historical fiction book		36%	42%	19%	3%	153
Talked with someone in my community about historical events		26%	49%	19%	7%	209
Read a religious document, such as the Bible or Qur'an		49%	36%	11%	5%	298
Took a DNA test such as those offered by companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA		33%	40%	23%	4%	81
Attended a lecture about history, either in person or online		35%	39%	19%	7%	59
Looked into the history of your family or worked on your family tree		43%	40%	17%	1%	254
Watched a fictional film, television, or online program set in the past		19%	47%	25%	9%	444
Consulted Wikipedia about historical events		28%	46%	23%	3%	414
Did a search on the internet (not including Wikipedia) about historical events		23%	49%	23%	5%	522
Played history related video games		22%	37%	26%	16%	53

S5a. Following any of these activities, did you take any action as a result of what you learned? This can include seeking out additional information, visiting a historical site or museum (either in-person or online), contacting a public official about historical preservation, or something else.

Yes. If yes, what did you do? [Verbatim responses]

30% (N = 541)

S6. Which of the following reasons BEST describes why you want to learn about events in the past?

I want to be more informed about past events	39%
I find learning about past events entertaining	33%
The experience or knowledge gained by learning about past events is important to share with my children	19%
Learning about past events is required for a class	2%
I do not want to learn about past events	8%
	N = 1811

S7. How much, if at all, would you like to learn more about the following:

		A great deal	Some	Just a little	Not at all	N
The histories of foreign places or people		21%	43%	24%	12%	1811
My own family's history		45%	35%	14%	7%	1809
The history of my country		33%	44%	15%	8%	1810
The history of my ethnic group		22%	35%	25%	18%	1815
History that happened more than 500 years ago		22%	38%	26%	15%	1810
Histories of people who are different from me		21%	44%	24%	11%	1811
The history of my state or local community		18%	44%	26%	12%	1810

S8. Did you have plans to visit a museum or historic site, such as a battlefield, monument, building, or neighborhood, this summer that you could not accomplish because of pandemic related closures?

Yes	34%
No	66%
	N = 1815

SCH1. Thinking back on your experiences in high school history or social studies classes, what words or short phrases come to mind?

[Recorded responses]	42%
Don't know or remember	52%
I did not take any history or social studies classes in high school	6%
	N = 1816

SCH2. Did you take any history courses in college?

Yes	52%
No	40%
Don't remember	8%
	N = 1179

SCH3. Thinking back on your experiences in college history classes, what words or short phrases come to mind?

[Recorded responses]	88%
Don't know or remember	12%
	N = 627

T1. How much, if at all, do you trust each of the following sources to provide an accurate account of history?

		A great deal	Some	Just a little	Not at all	N
High school teachers		18%	52%	21%	8%	1796
College and university professors		31%	45%	14%	10%	1793
Podcasts or radio programs		6%	45%	34%	15%	1791
Documentary films or videos		31%	53%	13%	4%	1799
Social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and other sources		2%	18%	37%	43%	1800
Cable or network television news		7%	48%	32%	14%	1796
Newspapers or magazine articles, either online or in print		13%	51%	27%	10%	1794
Museums		56%	34%	6%	4%	1794
Historic sites, such as battlefields, monuments, buildings, and neighborhoods		49%	39%	8%	5%	1799
Nonfiction books		26%	47%	17%	10%	1793
Historical fiction books		9%	36%	37%	19%	1800
Conversations with people in my community		7%	48%	34%	11%	1798
Religious documents, such as the Bible or Qur'an		31%	30%	21%	17%	1796
DNA tests such as those offered by companies like 23andME and AncestryDNA		18%	43%	23%	16%	1796
Public lectures about history		17%	55%	20%	8%	1787
Genealogy research about my family		24%	49%	18%	9%	1796
Fictional films, television, or online programs about the past		6%	34%	42%	19%	1795
Wikipedia		15%	43%	28%	14%	1801
Information from searches done on the Internet, not including Wikipedia		13%	57%	23%	7%	1792
History-related video games		2%	12%	32%	54%	1794

T2. Which of the following statements BEST describes you personally even if neither statement is perfect:

I prefer to learn about history by reading or looking at documents and objects from the past, such as diaries, letters, maps or clothing items from the past	64%
I prefer to learn about history by receiving information from an expert, such as a teacher, professor, or museum professional	36%
	N = 1804

HR1. In your opinion, should what we know about the history of people and events ever change?

Yes	62%
No	38%
	N = 1804

HR2. Which of the following statements BEST explain why YOU think our understanding of what happened in history changes from time to time: [Asked if previous question = Yes]

New information becomes available that requires people to change their understanding of history.	61%
As values change, people reconsider their understanding of history	16%
The political agendas of historians, museum directors, and other leaders in the field of history influence the teaching of history	15%
As times change historians ask new questions	8%
	N = 1140

CE1. Since January 2019, have you worked with others in your community to try to solve a community problem, either in-person or online?

Yes	14%
No	86%
	N = 1814

CE2. How often do you vote in elections?

All of the time	52%
Most of the time	24%
Some of the time	7%
Only a little of the time	4%
None of the time	5%
Not registered to vote	8%
	N = 1806

CE3. Since January 2019, have you done any volunteer activities through or for an organization, either in person or online?

Yes	30%
No	70%
	N = 1812

CE4. Since January 2019, did you contact an elected official to register your opinion or express a concern?

Yes	22%
No	79%
	N = 1811

Here are some pairs of statements that will help us understand how you feel about a number of things. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

V1. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

Learning about history is not very complicated because facts don't change	38%
Learning about history is complicated because our understanding of facts often changes.	63%
	N = 1797

V3. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

It is more important to know about the history of the United States than the history of other parts of the world.	18%
It is just as important to know about the history of other parts of the world as it is to know about the history of the United States	82%
	N = 1791

V4. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

It is more important to know about the history of my racial or ethnic community than the history of others.	11%
It is just as important to know about the history of others as it is to know about the history of my racial or ethnic community	89%
	N = 1791

V5. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

Knowing about events that happened in the past 100 years is more important than knowing about events that happened a very long time ago	20%
Knowing about events that happened a very long time ago is just as important as knowing about events that happened in the past 100 years	81%
	N = 1795

V6. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

History is easier for me to learn about when it is presented as entertainment	73%
When history is presented as entertainment, I don't learn much	27%
	N = 1786

V7. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

Teaching about the past should not make people feel uncomfortable even if that history is about harm that some groups did to others	23%
It is acceptable to teach history about harm that some groups did to others, even if that makes people feel uncomfortable	77%
	N = 1795

V8. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

History is as important to learn about in school as business or engineering	84%
History is less important to learn about in school than business or engineering	16%
	N = 1798

V9. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

I am drawn to history that challenges what I think I already know about events, people, and places in the past.	73%
I prefer history that reinforces what I already know about events, people, and places in the past.	27%
	N = 1787

V10. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

History is something you mainly learn about in schools	10%
History is something you can learn about anywhere	90%
	N = 1805

V11. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

When I encounter something in history that makes me uncomfortable, I try to learn more about that event, time, place, or person	90%
I avoid learning more about something in history that makes me feel uncomfortable	10%
	N = 1788

V12. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

History should celebrate the nation's past	53%
History should question the nation's past	47%
	N = 1792

V13. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

My high school history courses were about names, dates, and other facts	76%
My high school history classes taught me to ask questions about history	25%
	N = 1794

V14. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right.

My high school history courses made me want to learn more about history	68%
My high school history courses discouraged me from learning more about history	32%
	N = 1789

V15. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right. [Asked of those with college attendance history]

My college history courses were about names, dates, and facts	44%
My college history classes taught me to ask questions about history	56%
	N = 622

V16. Please indicate which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right. [Asked of those with college attendance history]

My college history courses made me want to learn more about history	83%
My college history courses discouraged me from learning more about history	17%
	N = 624

V18. Please indicate whether or not you believe historians and their work (including museums, textbooks, etc.) have paid too much attention, about the right amount of attention, or not enough attention to the following groups and institutions.

		Too much attention	About the right amount of attention	Not enough attention	Don't know	N
Women		4%	35%	52%	10%	1804
Racial and ethnic minorities		11%	28%	51%	10%	1806
Religious groups and institutions		17%	45%	25%	13%	1804
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals		22%	19%	40%	19%	1800
Politics and government		22%	49%	19%	10%	1800
The military		15%	50%	23%	12%	1803
Business leaders		16%	48%	19%	17%	1801
Men		27%	53%	8%	13%	1801
The Framers of the Declaration of Independence or US Constitution		10%	51%	25%	14%	1802

V19. And finally, do you live in a community where there have been or are current restrictions on where you can go and what you can do because of the coronavirus pandemic?

Yes	80%
No	20%
	N = 1810

Just a few more questions for classification purposes.

QPID100. Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a

Republican	27%
Democrat	34%
Independent	24%
Another party, please specify [Verbatim response]	2%
No preference	13%
	N = 1804

GENDER. Do you consider yourself

Female	52%
Male	47%
Gender nonconforming	0%
Prefer not to answer	1%
	N = 1813

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