Continuity mistake: When the FBI storms into Ben Gates' apartment, an agent is researching the Silence Dogood letters on his Hewlett Packard laptop. However, the web browser displayed on his laptop is the Mac Safari browser. HP laptops don't run Mac software so the "photoshopped" shot of the web browser on the laptop was done on an Apple Mac. (00:57:20)
Continuity mistake: At the Charlotte down in the cargo hold when Ben has just figured out that the riddle refers to the Declaration of Independence, Ian's stocking hat keeps changing between scenes. He's got a two-toned hat with a jagged edge between the two colors. Sometimes, the edge is turned up so far you can't even see this design. At other times, the edge is barely turned up and crooked and the jagged edge between the colors is very prominent.
Continuity mistake: When Dr. Chase is entering her password she goes for the first letter on the keyboard. Her little finger is at the right end of the space bar and her index finger is hitting the key. When the shot changes to the close-up of her hand, the little finger is in the area of the CTRL key and the middle finger is the one which hits a key, in the area of the m or comma key. (00:33:15)
Continuity mistake: When Ben is in the Men's restroom taking off the overalls to reveal his tuxedo, he is in front of the third or back sink. He turns, throws tool belt away, turns back toward mirror and grabs his drill and starts to leave with the red NO SMOKING sign on the mirror up to his left. Then he stops to look in the mirror again as Riley says "How do you look?" He is looking into the mirror straightening his tie and the red NO SMOKING sign is on his right. The next frames he is back in front of the third sink smoothing his hair back and the NO SMOKING sign on his left.
Continuity mistake: The Declaration of Independence in the clear plastic cover keeps changing colors from brown to white and back. When Ben puts it in the very first time while in the elevator, it is brown. When Ian gets the case out of the street after Abigail loses it, it is white. It is back to brown in the church.
Continuity mistake: When the guy is smashing Parkington Lane's headstone, the number, size, and location of the holes change from one shot to the next. (01:39:10)
Continuity mistake: When Sadusky has Ben handcuffed across the desk from him, there is nothing on the desk directly between Sadusky and Ben except Sadusky's coffee mug, a gray thing that is about mid-way between Ben and Sadusky, and a white spiral notebook to the right of the coffee mug. Then Ben says, "Ian still ended up with the Declaration of Independence," and as the shot switches from Ben to Sadusky saying, "Because of you," we see the glasses Ben found at Independence Hall appear on the desk in front of Sadusky between the gray thing and himself. Then as Sadusky says, "Someone's got to go to prison, Ben," and Ben says, "Yeah," two short stacks of papers appear on the desk in front of Sadusky and the glasses changes position as well.
Continuity mistake: This concerns National Treasure 1 and 2. In the first film, when Ben's grandfather tells Ben the story about the clue given to Thomas Gates, he says he was the grandfather's grandfather's, grandfather - Ben's Great, great, great, great grandfather. In the film, in 1832, he appears very young, maybe early 20s. But in the second film Thomas Gates, Ben's Great, great grandfather, appears to be 40-50 in 1865. A young man in 1832 can't have a middle aged grandson in 1865.
Continuity mistake: When Riley is cutting into the pipe holding the cable for the National Archives, the hole he cuts changes shape after the shot showing him examining the wires. (00:31:35)
Continuity mistake: When Ben is trying to pay cash for the 'replica' of the Declaration of Independence in the Gift Shop, he lays his wallet down on the counter and starts counting out bills and change right next to his wallet on the counter. A few scenes later, when the FBI is reviewing surveillance tapes, one of the monitors shows Ben reaching in his pocket, pulling out his wallet and grabbing the money that is out on the counter. This happens when the over voice says, "Charge. Benjamin Gates."
Continuity mistake: In the catacombs under Trinity Church, the lift Ben and Abigail are standing on falls. When it jerks to a stop, Abigail falls and Ben catches her. The lift is stationary at an angle. However, in the next shot, the lift is swinging forwards, allowing Ben to throw Abigail to safety. (01:40:00)
Continuity mistake: When Riley is in the subway to get the video footage, he starts to record the preservation room that shows the declaration on the desk, but how can It be there if Riley hasn't used the laser to get it moved there yet?
Continuity mistake: When Ben and Ian get into an argument over stealing the Declaration of Independence, Ian says "all you're going to be is a hinderance." Shaw then points a flashlight and a gun at Ben. When the camera angle is on Ben, there is no flashlight beam visible on him. Then Ian says, "I'll shoot your friend", Shaw points the flashlight and gun at Riley, the light beam visible on his face. Ben lights a flare. Shaw points the flashlight and gun back on Ben, and again, no flashlight beam is visible on him.
Continuity mistake: After everyone gets off the elevator down under the church, Ben has the declaration of independence then Riley has it without Ben giving it to him.
Continuity mistake: When Ian looks down to the shadow cast by the "House of Pass and Stow", the shadow isn't anywhere near to where it was when Ben looked down, although not very much time could have elapsed.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where the group are revealing the cipher on the back of the Declaration of Independence, in a wide shot, we can see glass on the corners of the Declaration to keep it in place. When Abigail rubs the Q tip on the right corner, the glass is gone.
Answer: He doesn't simply assume "Beneath Parkington Lane" means beneath the church: Parkington Lane is the name etched on the tomb hiding the entrance to the tunnels. When he saw it, he naturally deduced what he had to do.
Sereenie