USCIS Civics Test (2025 Version) Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering the principles, governmental structure, rights, history, and national symbols outlined in the 2025 USCIS Civics Test document.

65/20 Special Consideration

A provision for applicants aged 65 or older who have lived in the United States as lawful permanent residents for at least 20 years, allowing them to study 20 specific marked questions and take the test in the language of their choice.

U.S. Constitution

The supreme law of the land written in 1787 that forms the government, defines its powers and branches, and protects the rights of the people.

"We the People"

The opening words of the U.S. Constitution signifying self-government, popular sovereignty, the consent of the governed, and the social contract.

Bill of Rights

The constitutional amendments that protect the basic rights of Americans and people living in the United States.

Declaration of Independence

The founding document written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted on July 4, 1776, announcing that the American colonies were free from British control and stating that all people are created equal with inherent rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Rule of Law

The principle that everyone, including leaders and the government itself, must obey the law, and that no one is above the law.

Separation of Powers

The division of government into three distinct branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—with checks and balances so that no single part becomes too powerful.

U.S. Congress

The national legislative branch of the federal government that writes laws, declares war, and makes the federal budget, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

U.S. Senate

The chamber of Congress composed of 100 members (two per state) who each serve six-year terms and represent all citizens of their state.

U.S. House of Representatives

The chamber of Congress consisting of 435 voting members serving two-year terms, whose allocation per state is determined by state population to closely follow public opinion.

The Great Compromise

The agreement (also known as the Connecticut Compromise) that established equal representation for small states by allocating two senators to each state in Congress.

22nd Amendment

The constitutional amendment that limits the President of the United States to serving a maximum of two terms to keep the office from becoming too powerful.

President's Cabinet

An executive advisory body composed of the Vice President, department secretaries, and agency directors that advises the President of the United States.

Electoral College

The constitutional mechanism that decides who is elected president, serving as a compromise between the popular election of the president and congressional selection.

Supreme Court

The highest court in the United States, composed of nine seats with justices appointed for life to ensure political independence, requiring five justices to decide a case.

10th Amendment

The constitutional amendment stating that powers not delegated to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.

Oath of Allegiance

The formal oath taken by new citizens in which they promise to give up loyalty to other countries, defend the Constitution, obey federal laws, and be loyal to the United States.

Selective Service

A federal system in which all men ages 18 through 25 are required by law to register as a civic duty to ensure fairness if a military draft is needed.

16th Amendment

The constitutional provision that establishes the requirement to pay federal taxes to fund the federal government.

Federalist Papers

A collection of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay under the pseudonym Publius to explain and promote the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 agreement under President Thomas Jefferson in which the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, doubling the size of the nation.

Emancipation Proclamation

The wartime order issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War that freed enslaved people in the Confederate states.

14th Amendment

The constitutional amendment defining citizenship by declaring that all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are U.S. citizens.

15th Amendment

The constitutional amendment ratified in 1870 during Reconstruction that granted all male citizens the right to vote regardless of race.

19th Amendment

The constitutional amendment adopted in 1920 following World War I that gave all women the right to vote.

Great Depression

The longest economic recession in modern history, which began with the stock market crash (the Great Crash) of 1929.

Cold War

The era of geopolitical tension following World War II wherein the United States' primary rivalry was with the Soviet Union (USSR), centered around concerns over communism and nuclear war.

Civil Rights Movement

The mid-20th-century movement in the United States led by figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. that fought to end racial discrimination and ensure equal rights for all Americans.

E Pluribus Unum

The first national motto of the United States, translating to "Out of many, one" or "We all become one."

Memorial Day

A national holiday dedicated to honoring soldiers who died in military service to the United States.

Veterans Day

A national holiday honoring people in the military and all individuals who have served in the U.S. military.