U.S.A. Citizenship Test (100 Civics Questions) from uscis.gov

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

the Constitution

2. What does the Constitution do?

sets up the government

protects basic rights of Americans

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

We the People

4. What is an amendment?

a change (to the Constitution)

an addition (to the Constitution)

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

the Bill of Rights

6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

speech

7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

twenty-seven (27)

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

declared our independence from Great Britain

9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

life

liberty

pursuit of happiness

10. What is freedom of religion?

You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

11. What is the economic system in the United States?

capitalist economy

market economy

12. What is the "rule of law"?

Everyone must follow the law.

13. Name one branch or part of the government.

Congress

legislative

President

executive

the courts

judicial

14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

checks and balances

separation of powers

15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

the President

16. Who makes federal laws?

Congress

Senate and House (of Representatives)

(U.S. or national) legislature

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

the Senate and House (of Representatives)

18. How many U.S. Senators are there?

one hundred (100)

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

six (6)

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

Kirsten Gillibrand / Chuck Schumer

21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

four hundred thirty-five (435)

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

two (2)

23. Name your U.S. Representative.

Nydia Velazquez

24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

all people of the state

25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

(because of) the state's population

(because) they have more people

(because) some states have more people

26. We elect a President for how many years?

four (4)

27. In what month do we vote for President?

November

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

Barack Obama

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

Joe Biden

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

the Vice President

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

the Speaker of the House

32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

the President

33. Who signs bills to become laws?

the President

34. Who vetoes bills?

the President

35. What does the President's Cabinet do?

advises the President

36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Secretary of Commerce

Secretary of State

37. What does the judicial branch do?

reviews laws

explains laws

resolves disputes (disagreements)

decides if a law goes against the Constitution

38. What is the highest court in the United States?

the Supreme Court

39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

nine (9)

40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

John Roberts

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

to print money

to declare war

to create an army

to make treaties

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

provide schooling and education

43. Who is the Governor of your state now?

Andrew Cuomo

44. What is the capital of your state?

Albany

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

Democrat and Republican

46. What is the political party of the President now?

Democratic (Party)

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

(John) Boehner

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

Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).

You don't have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.

Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)

A male citizen of any race (can vote).

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

serve on a jury

vote in a federal election

50. Name one right only for United States citizens.

vote in a federal election

run for federal office

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

freedom of expression

freedom of speech

freedom of assembly

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

the United States

the flag

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

give up loyalty to other countries

defend the Constitution and laws of the United States

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

eighteen (18) and older

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

vote

run for office

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

April 15

57. When must all men register for the Selective Service?

at age eighteen (18)

between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)

58. What is one reason colonists came to America?

freedom

political liberty

religious freedom

economic opportunity

practice their religion

escape persecution

59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

American Indians

Native Americans

60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

Africans

people from Africa

61. Why did the colonists fight the British?

because of high taxes (taxation without representation)

62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

(Thomas) Jefferson

63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

July 4, 1776

64. There were 13 original states. Name three.

Massachusetts

New York

New Jersey

65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.

66. When was the Constitution written?

1787

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

(James) Madison

(Alexander) Hamilton

68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

U.S. diplomat

69. Who is the "Father of Our Country"?

(George) Washington

70. Who was the first President?

(George) Washington

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

the Louisiana Territory

Louisiana

72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s

War of 1812

Mexican-American War

Civil War

Spanish-American War

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

the Civil War

the War between the States

74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

slavery

economic reasons

states' rights

75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)

saved (or preserved) the Union

76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

freed the slaves

freed slaves in the Confederacy

freed slaves in the Confederate states

freed slaves in most Southern states

77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?

fought for women's rights

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

World War I

79. Who was President during World War I?

(Woodrow) Wilson

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

(Franklin) Roosevelt

81. Who did the United States fight in World War II?

Japan, Germany, and Italy

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

World War II

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

Communism

84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

civil rights (movement)

85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

fought for civil rights

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

Terrorists attacked the United States.

87. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

Cherokee

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

Missouri (River)

Mississippi (River)

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

Pacific (Ocean)

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

Atlantic (Ocean)

91. Name one U.S. territory.

Puerto Rico

92. Name one state that borders Canada.

Maine

New Hampshire

Vermont

New York

Pennsylvania

Ohio

Michigan

Minnesota

North Dakota

Montana

Idaho

Washington

Alaska

93. Name one state that borders Mexico.

California

Arizona

New Mexico

Texas

94. What is the capital of the United States?

Washington, D.C.

95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?

New York (Harbor)

Liberty Island

[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]

96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

because there were 13 original colonies

because the stripes represent the original colonies

97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?

because there is one star for each state

because each star represents a state

because there are 50 states

98. What is the name of the national anthem?

The Star-Spangled Banner

99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?

July 4

100. Name two national U.S. holidays.

New Year's Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Presidents' Day

Memorial Day

Independence Day

Labor Day

Columbus Day

Veterans Day

Thanksgiving

Christmas