Marjorie Taylor Greene Ridiculed for Stumbling Over Basic American History
By Jake Beardslee ·
July 9, 2024
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene found herself at the center of controversy following a social media post intended to highlight the youth of America's founding fathers. The Georgia Republican's attempt at a history lesson on X (formerly Twitter) backfired spectacularly, drawing millions of views and a flood of critical responses. MCKENZIE LANGE/ Staff / USA TODAY NETWORK
Greene's post, which garnered over 3.2 million views, stated: "The average age of the signers of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 was 44 years old, but more than a dozen were 35 or younger." She then listed eight historical figures and their ages, including Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe, Aaron Burr, Paul Revere, and George Washington. @RepMTG / X
However, her post quickly received a community note pointing out a significant error: only two of the eight men she listed - Jefferson and Hancock - actually signed the Declaration of Independence. @RepMTG / X
The online community was quick to respond. One user commented, "75% of the 'signers of the Declaration of Independence' listed here by Marjorie Taylor Greene did not actually sign the document," adding that it was a sign for "for kids to stay in school." MCKENZIE LANGE/ Staff / USA TODAY NETWORK
Another user criticized Greene's knowledge of American history, asking, "You got a majority of names wrong. How are you in congress!!??? We need a civics test to run for government." MCKENZIE LANGE/ Staff / USA TODAY NETWORK
Another user jokingly replied to Greene's post, stating, "Thank you for this, Senator. And the final signature was applied by Ben Franklin, who was president at the time. Patriotic facts." Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Despite the widespread mockery, Greene has not removed the post from her X feed. This incident wasn't her only controversial Independence Day-themed message. In another post, she urged Americans to "stand strong against tyranny." Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
This latest gaffe adds to a series of controversial statements made by Greene throughout her political career. She has previously made dubious claims about the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 election, and the January 6 Capitol riot. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia
As of Tuesday morning, Greene's post had accumulated more than 3 million views, 10,000 likes, and 6,500 comments. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia
The incident serves as a reminder of the power and pitfalls of social media in political discourse, as well as the importance of factual accuracy in public statements made by elected officials. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia
