Civics for US Naturalization Test

Civics Questions for the Naturalization Test

• The civics test is an oral test
• A USCIS Officer will ask the applicant up to 10 of the 100 civics questions
• Applicants must correctly answer 6 out of 10 questions to pass the civics portion of the test

American Government: Principles of American Democracy

• The Constitution is the supreme law of the land
• The Constitution sets up the government
• The Constitution defines the government
• The Constitution protects the basic rights of Americans
• The first three words of the Constitution are "We the People," embodying self-government
• An amendment is a change or an addition to the Constitution
• The first ten amendments to the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights
• The First Amendment guarantees rights and freedoms, including speech, religion, assembly, press, and petitioning the government
• The Constitution has twenty-seven amendments

Declaration of Independence

• The Declaration of Independence announced independence from Great Britain
• The Declaration of Independence declared independence from Great Britain
• The Declaration of Independence said that the United States is free from Great Britain
• The Declaration of Independence mentions the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Rule of Law

• Freedom of religion means you can practice any religion, or not practice a religion
• The economic system in the United States is a capitalist economy or a market economy
• The "rule of law" dictates everyone, including leaders and the government, must follow the law, and no one is above it

System of Government

• Branches of the government include Congress, the legislative branch, the President, the executive branch, the courts, and the judicial branch
• Checks and balances and separation of powers prevent one branch of government from becoming too powerful
• The President is in charge of the executive branch
• Federal laws are made by Congress, which includes the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the U.S. or national legislature
• The two parts of the U.S. Congress are the Senate and House of Representatives
• There are 100 U.S. Senators

U.S. Senators and Representatives

• A U.S. Senator is elected for a term of six years
• A U.S. Senator represents all people of the state
• U.S. Representatives are elected for two years
• The House of Representatives has 435 voting members
• Some states have more Representatives than other states because of the state's population

President

• A President is elected for a term of four years
• Elections for President are held in November
• The Vice President becomes President if the President can no longer serve
• The Speaker of the House becomes President if both the President and Vice President can no longer serve
• The President is the Commander in Chief of the military
• The President signs bills to become laws
• The President can veto bills
• The President's Cabinet advises the President

Cabinet-Level Positions

• Cabinet-level positions include Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Education, and Secretary of Energy
• Cabinet-level positions include Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Secretary of the Interior
• Cabinet-level positions include Secretary of Labor, Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of the Treasury, and Secretary of Veterans Affairs
• Cabinet-level positions include Attorney General, and Vice President

Judicial Branch

• The judicial branch reviews laws
• The judicial branch explains laws
• The judicial branch resolves disputes
• The judicial branch decides if a law goes against the Constitution
• The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States

Powers of Federal and State Governments

• For the number of justices on the Supreme Court and the name of the Chief Justice, check the USCIS website
• The federal government has the power to print money, declare war, create an army, and make treaties
• States have the power to provide schooling and education, provide protection via police, provide safety with fire departments, give driver's licenses, and approve zoning and land use

State Government

• The District of Columbia does not have a Governor
• The nation's capital is Washington, D.C.

Political Parties

• The two major political parties in the United States are the Democratic and Republican parties
• To learn about the political party of the President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, check the USCIS website

Rights and Responsibilities: Amendments to Voting

• Citizens eighteen (18) and older can vote
• You do not have to pay a poll tax to vote
• Any citizen, regardless of gender, can vote
• A male citizen of any race can vote

Responsibilities of U.S. Citizens

• U.S. citizens have a responsibility to serve on a jury
• U.S. citizens have a responsibility to vote in federal elections
• Only United States citizens have the right to vote in a federal election
• Only United States citizens have the right to run for federal office

Rights of Everyone Living in the U.S.

• Everyone living in the United States has rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition the government
• Everyone living in the United States has rights such as freedom of religion and the right to bear arms

Pledge of Allegiance and Citizenship

• Loyalty to the United States and the flag is shown when saying the Pledge of Allegiance
• Promises made when becoming a U.S. citizen include giving up loyalty to other countries, defending the Constitution and laws, and obeying U.S. laws
• Further promises include serving in the U.S. military if needed, working for the nation if needed, and being loyal to the United States

Voting and Selective Service

• Citizens must be eighteen and older to vote for President
• Americans can participate in democracy by voting, joining a political party, helping with a campaign, joining a civic or community group, and giving opinions to officials
• Additional ways to participate are calling Senators and Representatives, supporting or opposing issues, running for office, and writing to a newspaper
• The last day to send in federal income tax forms is April 15
• All men must register for the Selective Service at age eighteen or between eighteen and twenty-six

American History: Colonial Period and Independence

• Colonists came to America for freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity, to practice their religion, and to escape persecution
• Before Europeans arrived, America was inhabited by American Indians and Native Americans
• Africans were forcibly taken to America and sold as slaves
• Colonists fought the British due to high taxes, the British army staying in their houses, and a lack of self-government

Declaration of Independence

• Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence
• The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776

Thirteen Original States

• The thirteen original states were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
• The thirteen original states were Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia

Constitutional Convention

• The Constitution was written at the Constitutional Convention
• The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution
• The Constitution was written in 1787

Federalist Papers

• The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution
• Writers of The Federalist Papers: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Publius

Benjamin Franklin

• Benjamin Franklin was a U.S. diplomat, the oldest member of the Constitutional Convention, the first Postmaster General of the United States, and the writer of "Poor Richard's Almanac”
• Benjamin Franklin started the first free libraries
• George Washington is the "Father of Our Country”, and was the first President

The 1800s

• The United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803
• Wars fought by the U.S. in the 1800s include the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War
• The Civil War was the U.S. war between the North and the South, also called the War between the States
• Slavery, economic reasons, and states' rights led to the Civil War

Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation

• Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation), saved the Union, and led the United States during the Civil War
• The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Confederacy, Confederate states, and most Southern states
• Susan B. Anthony fought for women's and civil rights

Recent American History

• Wars fought by the United States in the 1900s include World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War
• Woodrow Wilson was President during World War I
• Franklin Roosevelt was President during the Great Depression and World War II

World War II and the Cold War

• The United States fought Japan, Germany, and Italy in World War II
• Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general in World War II
• During the Cold War, the main concern of the United States was Communism

Civil Rights and 9/11

• The civil rights movement tried to end racial discrimination
• Martin Luther King, Jr., fought for civil rights and worked for equality for all Americans
• On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States

American Indian Tribes

• Examples of American Indian tribes in the United States include Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Chippewa, Choctaw, Pueblo, Apache, Iroquois, Creek, Blackfeet, Seminole, Cheyenne, Arawak, Shawnee, Mohegan, Huron, Oneida, Lakota, Crow, Teton, Hopi, and Inuit

Integrated Civics: Geography

• The two longest rivers in the United States are the Missouri River and the Mississippi River
• The Pacific Ocean is on the West Coast of the United States
• The Atlantic Ocean is on the East Coast of the United States

U.S. Territories

• U.S. territories include Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam

States Bordering Canada

• States bordering Canada include Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota
• Additional states bordering Canada include North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Alaska

States Bordering Mexico

• States bordering Mexico include California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas
• Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States
• The Statue of Liberty is in New York Harbor and on Liberty Island near New York City

Symbols: U.S. Flag

• The flag has 13 stripes because there were 13 original colonies and the stripes represent those colonies
• The flag has 50 stars because there is one star for each state, and each star represents a state
• The Star-Spangled Banner is the name of the national anthem

Holidays

• Independence Day is celebrated on July 4
• National U.S. holidays include New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day
• More national U.S. holidays are Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas

Prepare for the US Naturalization Test with these civics questions. The test covers principles of American democracy, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Applicants must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass.