CIVICS: What is the supreme law of the land? What is the study of the duties and rights of citizens?

Do you know the answers? These are some of the sample questions for a civics bee, like the National Civics Bee Pennsylvania State Finals, held recently in Harrisburg.

Fifteen middle school students from around Pennsylvania competed for the chance to advance to the National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C. later this year.

“In just a few years, America will celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary — a historic Pennsylvania moment that took place with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia,” PA Chamber President and CEO Luke Bernstein said. “But in recent years, interest in and knowledge of civics has taken a sharp decline. A recent survey by the U.S. Chamber showed that 70 percent of Americans couldn’t answer basic questions about our democratic processes. The Civics Bee is committed to changing that by inspiring young people to become informed, engaged citizens and providing them with a platform to demonstrate their contributions to public life.”

The Pennsylvania Chamber Foundation is a partner in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Annual National Civics Bee, which encourages young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities.

The answers to the questions at the beginning: The Constitution, and civics. Here’s some from the “hard” category: What official is most concerned with U.S. diplomacy? What policy warned European nations not to interfere with affairs in the Western Hemisphere? What Supreme Court case upheld a student’s First Amendment right to engage in symbolic speech in school?

Answers: Secretary of State, Monroe Doctrine, Tinker v. Des Moines