Citizenship Exam

What is the supreme law of the land?

The Constitution

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

The Bill of Rights

What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness

What is freedom of religion?

You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion

Who makes federal laws?

Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)

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

The Senate and the House of Representatives

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

The President

How many U.S. Senators are there?

100

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

6 years

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

435

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

Serve on a jury or vote in a federal election

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

Freedom of speech, Freedom of religion, Freedom of assembly, Freedom to petition the government, Right to bear arms (any two)

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

The United States or the flag

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

Give up loyalty to other countries, Defend the Constitution and laws, Obey the laws, Serve in the military if needed, Serve the nation if needed, Be loyal to the U.S. (any one)

Who was the first President?

George Washington

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

Franklin D. Roosevelt

What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

Civil Rights Movement

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

Fought for civil rights, Worked for equality for all Americans

What is the capital of the United States?

Washington, D.C.

What is the name of the national anthem?

The Star-Spangled Banner

The President of the United States is elected 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?

(As of 2025) Joe Biden

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

(As of 2025) Kamala Harris

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

The 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?

Advises the President

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Vice President, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Treasury (any two)

What does the judicial branch do?

Reviews laws, explains laws, resolves disputes, decides if a law goes against the Constitution

What is the highest court in the United States?

The Supreme Court

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

9

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

John Roberts (as of 2025)

Governor of your state

(Answer depends on your state. For California in 2025: Gavin Newsom)

Capital of your state

(Answer depends on your state. For California: Sacramento)

Two major political parties in the United States

Democratic and Republican

Political party of the President now

(As of 2025: Democratic Party)

Speaker of the House of Representatives now

(As of 2025: Mike Johnson)

Amendments to the Constitution about who can vote

Citizens 18 and older can vote; You don't have to pay (a poll tax) to vote; Any citizen can vote (women and men); A male citizen of any race can vote

Responsibility only for United States citizens

Serve on a jury or vote in a federal election

Right only for United States citizens

Vote in a federal election or run for federal office

Rights of everyone living in the United States

Freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom to petition, freedom of religion, right to bear arms

Loyalty shown in the Pledge of Allegiance

The United States or the flag

Promise made when becoming a United States citizen

Obey the laws, give up loyalty to other countries, serve the nation if needed, serve in the military if needed, be loyal to the U.S.

Age citizens must be to vote for President

18 years or older

Ways Americans can participate in their democracy

Vote, join a political party, help with a campaign, run for office, write to a newspaper, call senators and representatives (any two)

Last day to send in federal income tax forms

April 15

When men must register for the Selective Service

At age 18, between ages 18 and 26

Reason colonists came to America

Freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity, escape persecution

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived

Native Americans or American Indians

Group taken to America and sold as slaves

Africans or people from Africa

Reason colonists fought the British

Because of high taxes (taxation without representation), because the British army stayed in their houses, because they didn't have self-government

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted

July 4, 1776

Three original states

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia (any three)

What happened at the Constitutional Convention

The Constitution was written, The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution

When was the Constitution written

1787

Writers of The Federalist Papers

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Publius

One thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for

U.S. diplomat, oldest member of the Constitutional Convention, first Postmaster General, writer of "Poor Richard's Almanac," started the first free libraries

Father of Our Country

George Washington

First President

George Washington

Territory bought from France in 1803

The Louisiana Territory (Louisiana Purchase)

One war fought by the United States in the 1800s

War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War

U.S. war between the North and the South

The Civil War

One problem that led to the Civil War

Slavery, economic reasons, states' rights

One important thing that Abraham Lincoln did

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

What the Emancipation Proclamation did

Freed the slaves, freed slaves in the Confederacy, freed slaves in most Southern states

What Susan B. Anthony did

Fought for women's rights, fought for civil rights

One war fought by the United States in the 1900s

World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War

President during World War I

Woodrow Wilson

President during the Great Depression and World War II

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Countries the United States fought in World War II

Japan, Germany, and Italy

War Eisenhower was in before he was President

World War II

Main concern of the United States during the Cold War

Communism

Movement that tried to end racial discrimination

The civil rights movement

What Martin Luther King, Jr. did

Fought for civil rights, worked for equality for all Americans

Major event on September 11, 2001, in the United States

Terrorists attacked the United States

One American Indian tribe in the United States

Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Chippewa, Choctaw, Pueblo, Apache, Iroquois, Creek, Blackfeet, Seminole, Cheyenne, Arawak, Shawnee, Mohegan, Huron, Oneida, Lakota, Crow, Teton, Hopi, Inuit (any one)

One of the two longest rivers in the United States

Missouri River or Mississippi River

Ocean on the West Coast of the United States

Pacific Ocean

Ocean on the East Coast of the United States

Atlantic Ocean

One U.S. territory

Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam

One state that borders Canada

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Alaska

One state that borders Mexico

California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

Capital of the United States

Washington, D.C.

Location of the Statue of Liberty

New York (Harbor) (Also acceptable: New Jersey, Liberty Island)

Why the flag has 13 stripes

Because there were 13 original colonies; because the stripes represent the original colonies

Why the flag has 50 stars

Because there is one star for each state; because each star represents a state

Name of the national anthem

The Star-Spangled Banner

When we celebrate Independence Day

July 4

Two national U.S. holidays

New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas (any two)

One U.S. national holiday in November

Veterans Day or Thanksgiving

One U.S. national holiday in January

New Year's Day or Martin Luther King Jr. Day

One U.S. national holiday in May

Memorial Day

One U.S. national holiday in September

Labor Day

One U.S. national holiday in December

Christmas