United States Citizenship Test

Government Semester Exam Study Guide

What is the supreme law of the land?

The Constitution

What does the Consitution do?

It sets up the government

The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

We the people

What is an amendment?

A change to the Constitution

What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

The Bill of Rights

What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

Freedom of speech

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

27

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

It announced our independence

What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Life and liberty

What is freedom of religion?

You can practice any religion or not practce a religion

What is the economic system in the United States?

Market

What is the “rule of law”?

Everyone must follow the law

Name one branch or part of the government.

Congress

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Checks and Balances

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

The President

Who makes federal laws?

Congress

What are two parts of the U.S. Congress?

House and Senate

How many U.S. Senators are there?

100\`

We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

6 years

Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?

John Thune

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

435

We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

2 years

Name your U.S. Representative.

Dusty Johnson

Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

All the people of the state

Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

They have more people

We elect a President for how many years?

4 years

In what month do we vote for President?

November

What is the name of the President of the United States now?

Joe Biden

What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

Kamala Harris

If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

Vice President

If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

The Speaker of the House

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

The President

Who signs bills to become laws?

The President

Who vetoes bills?

The President

What does the President’s Cabinet do?

It advises the President

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Secretary of State and Secretary of Education

What does the judicial branch do?

It explains the laws

What is the highestcourt in the United States?

Supreme Court

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

9

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

John Roberts

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

Print money

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

To give a driver’s license

Who is the Governor of your state now?

Kristi Noem

What is the capital of your state?

Pierre

What are the two major political parties in the United States?

Democrat and Republican

What is the political party of the President now?

Democratic

What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

Nancy Pelosi

There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

Any citizen can vote

What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?

Vote

Name one right only for United States citizens.

Vote

What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly

What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

The United States

What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

Obey the laws of the United States

How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?

18 or older

What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

Vote or run for office

When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?

April 15

When must all men register for the Selective Service?

Between ages of 18 and 26

What is one reason colonists came to America?

Freedom

Who lived in America before Europeans arrived?

American Indians

What group of people were taken to America and sold as slaves?

People from Africa

Why did the colonists fight the British

High taxes

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

July 4, 1776

There were 13 original states. Name three.

New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey

What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

The Constitution was written

When was the Constitution written?

1787

The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

Alexander Hamiltion

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

U.S. Diplomat

Who is the “Father of Our Country”?

George Washington

Who was the first President?

George Washington

What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

Louisiana Territory

Name one war fout by the United States in the 1800s.

Civil War

Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

Civil War

Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

Slavery

What is one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

Freed the slaves

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Freed the slaves

What did Susan B. Anthony do?

Fought for women’s rights

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.

Vietnam War

Who was President during World War I?

Woodrow Wilson

Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?

Franklin Roosevelt

Who did the United States fight in World War II?

Japan, Germany, Italy

Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

World War II

During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?

Communism

What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

The Civil Rights Movement

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

Fought for Civil Rights

What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

Terrorists attack on the United States

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

Blackfeet

Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

Mississippi

What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

Pacific

What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

Atlantic

Name one U.S. territory.

Puerto Rico

Name one state that borders Canada.

North Dakota

Name one state that borders Mexico.

Texas

What is the capital of the United States?

Washington D.C.

Where is the Statue of Liberty?

New York Harbor

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

13 original colonies

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

50 states in the U.S.

What is the name of the national anthem?

The Star Spangled Banner

When do we celebrate Independence Day?

July 4

Name two national U.S. holidays.

Christmas and Thanksgiving