citizenship test

What is one of the accepted forms of government for the United States?

Republic, Constitution-based federal republic, or Representative democracy.

What is considered the supreme law of the land in the United States?

The (U.S.) Constitution.

Name one function of the U.S. Constitution.

It forms the government, defines its powers and parts, or protects the rights of the people.

The phrase “We the People” in the U.S. Constitution signifies what concept?

Self-government, popular sovereignty, consent of the governed, or that people should govern themselves.

How are official changes made to the U.S. Constitution?

Through amendments or the amendment process.

What fundamental protection is offered by the Bill of Rights?

It protects the basic rights of Americans and people living in the United States.

How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution currently have?

Twenty-seven (27).

State one reason why the Declaration of Independence is important.

It says America is free from British control, all people are created equal, or it identifies inherent rights and individual freedoms.

Which founding document declared the American colonies' freedom from Britain?

The Declaration of Independence.

Name two important ideas found in both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Equality, Liberty, Social contract, Natural rights, Limited government, or Self-government.

The words “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are from what founding document?

The Declaration of Independence.

What is the economic system of the United States?

Capitalism or a free market economy.

What is the principle of the 'rule of law'?

Everyone must follow the law, including leaders and the government; no one is above the law.

Name one document that influenced the U.S. Constitution.

Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Federalist Papers, or Iroquois Great Law of Peace.

What is the reason for having three branches of government?

To prevent any one part from becoming too powerful, through checks and balances and separation of powers.

What are the three branches of the U.S. government?

Legislative, executive, and judicial.

The President of the United States is in charge of which branch of government?

The executive branch.

Which part of the federal government is responsible for writing laws?

The (U.S.) Congress, which is the legislative branch.

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

The Senate and House of Representatives.

Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

To write laws, declare war, or make the federal budget.

How many U.S. senators are there in total?

One hundred (100).

What is the length of a term for a U.S. senator?

Six (6) years.

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

Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories should answer that D.C. (or the territory) has no U.S. senators.]

How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?

Four hundred thirty-five (435).

What is the length of a term for a member of the House of Representatives?

Two (2) years.

Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?

To more closely follow public opinion.

How many senators does each state have?

Two (2).

The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) led to each state having two senators to ensure _.

Equal representation (for small states).

Name your U.S. representative.

Answers will vary.

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

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the current name.

Who does a U.S. senator represent?

All citizens or people of their state.

Who elects U.S. senators?

The citizens from their state.

Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent?

The citizens or people in their congressional district.

Who elects members of the House of Representatives?

The citizens from their congressional district.

Why do some states have more representatives than other states?

Because representation is based on the state’s population.

For how many years is the President of the United States elected in a single term?

Four (4) years.

Why can the President of the United States serve only two terms?

Because of the 22nd Amendment, which prevents the president from becoming too powerful.

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

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the current name.

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

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the current name.

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

The Vice President of the United States.

Name one power of the president.

Signs bills into law, vetoes bills, enforces laws, or serves as Commander in Chief.

Who is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?

The President of the United States.

Who signs bills to become laws?

The President of the United States.

Who has the power to veto bills?

The President of the United States.

The power to appoint federal judges belongs to the _.

President of the United States.

Name one component of the executive branch.

The President, the Cabinet, or federal departments and agencies.

What is the primary function of the President’s Cabinet?

To advise the President of the United States.

Name two Cabinet-level positions.

Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Treasury, or Attorney General.

Why is the Electoral College important?

It decides who is elected president and provides a compromise between popular election and congressional selection.

What is one part of the judicial branch?

The Supreme Court or Federal Courts.

What is one of the main functions of the judicial branch?

To review laws, explain laws, resolve legal disputes, or decide if a law is constitutional.

What is the highest court in the United States?

The Supreme Court.

How many seats are on the Supreme Court?

Nine (9).

What is the minimum number of Supreme Court justices usually needed to decide a case?

Five (5).

For how long do Supreme Court justices serve?

For life (lifetime appointment) or until retirement.

Why do Supreme Court justices serve for life?

To be independent of politics and to limit outside political influence.

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the current name.

Name one power that belongs only to the federal government.

To print money, declare war, create an army, or make treaties.

Name one power that belongs only to the states.

To provide schooling, provide police protection, give a driver's license, or approve zoning.

What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?

It states that powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.

Who is the governor of your state now?

Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a governor.]

What is the capital of your state?

Answers will vary.

Describe one of the four amendments to the U.S. Constitution about who can vote.

Citizens 18 and older can vote, you don’t have to pay a poll tax, any citizen can vote, or a male citizen of any race can vote.

Who in the United States can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury?

U.S. citizens.

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

Freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms.

When we say the Pledge of Allegiance, what do we show loyalty to?

The United States and the flag.

Name two promises that new citizens make in the Oath of Allegiance.

Give up loyalty to other countries, defend the Constitution, obey U.S. laws, or be loyal to the United States.

Name one way a person can become a United States citizen.

Be born in the United States, naturalize, or derive citizenship.

What are two examples of civic participation in the United States?

Vote, run for office, join a political party, or contact elected officials.

What is one way Americans can serve their country?

Vote, pay taxes, obey the law, serve in the military, or run for office.

State one reason why it is important to pay federal taxes.

It is required by law (16th Amendment), it is a civic duty, or it funds the federal government.

Name one reason why it is important for all men age 18 through 25 to register for the Selective Service.

It is required by law, it is a civic duty, or it makes a potential draft fair.

Name one reason why colonists came to America.

For freedom (political or religious), economic opportunity, or to escape persecution.

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

American Indians or Native Americans.

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

Africans or people from Africa.

What war did the Americans fight to win independence from Britain?

The American Revolution (or Revolutionary War).

Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.

High taxes, taxation without representation, or quartering of British soldiers.

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

(Thomas) Jefferson.

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

July 4, 1776.

Name one important event from the American Revolution.

The (Battle of) Bunker Hill, Declaration of Independence, or the (Battle of) Yorktown.

There were 13 original states. Name five of them.

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, and Georgia.

What founding document was written in 1787?

The (U.S.) Constitution.

The _ supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution and were written by figures like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton.

Federalist Papers.

Why were the Federalist Papers important?

They helped people understand the U.S. Constitution and supported its passage.

Benjamin Franklin is famous for many things. Name one.

He was a U.S. diplomat, founded the first free public libraries, or helped write the Declaration of Independence.

Name one reason why George Washington is famous.

He was the “Father of Our Country,” the first U.S. president, or General of the Continental Army.

Name one major accomplishment of Thomas Jefferson.

He wrote the Declaration of Independence, was the third U.S. president, or doubled the size of the U.S. with the Louisiana Purchase.

James Madison is famous for being the “_.”

Father of the Constitution.

Name one achievement of Alexander Hamilton.

He was the first Secretary of the Treasury, one of the writers of the Federalist Papers, or helped establish the First Bank of the United States.

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

The Louisiana Territory (or Louisiana).

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

The War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, or Spanish-American War.

What was the U.S. war between the North and the South called?

The Civil War.

Name one important event from the Civil War.

The Emancipation Proclamation, the Battle of Gettysburg, or the surrender at Appomattox.

Name one thing Abraham Lincoln is famous for.

He freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation), saved the Union, or led the U.S. during the Civil War.

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

It freed the slaves, specifically those in the Confederacy.

Which U.S. war resulted in the end of slavery?

The Civil War.

Which amendment grants U.S. citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States?

The 14th Amendment.

When did all men get the right to vote?

After the Civil War, during Reconstruction, with the 15th Amendment in 1870.

Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s.

Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, or Sojourner Truth.

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

World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, or (Persian) Gulf War.