Civics Questions for Naturalization Test

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Questions and Answers

What is the supreme law of the land?

The Constitution

What does the Constitution do?

Sets up the government, defines the government, and protects the basic rights of Americans.

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

We the People

What is an amendment?

A change, or an addition to the Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

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

The Bill of Rights Signup and view all the answers

What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

Petition the government (A), Speech (B), Assembly (C), Religion (D), Press (E) Signup and view all the answers

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

27 Signup and view all the answers

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

Announced our independence from Great Britain, declared our independence from Great Britain, and stated the United States was free from Great Britain. Signup and view all the answers

What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Life (A), Liberty (B), Pursuit of happiness (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is freedom of religion?

You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. Signup and view all the answers

What is the economic system in the United States?

Capitalist economy (A), Market economy (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the "rule of law"?

Everyone must follow the law, leaders must obey the law, government must obey the law, and no one is above the law. Signup and view all the answers

Name one branch or part of the government.

President (A), Congress (B), The Courts (C), Executive (D), Legislative (E), Judicial (F) Signup and view all the answers

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Separation of powers (A), Checks and balances (B) Signup and view all the answers

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

The President Signup and view all the answers

Who makes federal laws?

Congress (A), Senate and House (B), U.S. or national legislature (C) Signup and view all the answers

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

The Senate (A), The House of Representatives (B) Signup and view all the answers

How many U.S. Senators are there?

100 Signup and view all the answers

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

6 Signup and view all the answers

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

Answers will vary. Signup and view all the answers

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

435 Signup and view all the answers

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

2 Signup and view all the answers

Name your U.S. Representative.

Answers will vary. Signup and view all the answers

Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

All people of the state Signup and view all the answers

Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

Some states have more people (A), Because of the state's population (B), They have more people (C) Signup and view all the answers

We elect a President for how many years?

4 Signup and view all the answers

In what month do we vote for President?

November Signup and view all the answers

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

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the President. Signup and view all the answers

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

The Vice President Signup and view all the answers

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

The Speaker of the House Signup and view all the answers

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

The President Signup and view all the answers

Who signs bills to become laws?

The President Signup and view all the answers

Who vetoes bills?

The President Signup and view all the answers

What does the President's Cabinet do?

Advises the President Signup and view all the answers

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Secretary of Transportation (A), Secretary of Health and Human Services (B), Secretary of Commerce (C), Secretary of Defense (D), Vice President (E), Secretary of the Interior (F), Secretary of Education (G), Secretary of Energy (H), Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (I), Secretary of Agriculture (J), Attorney General (K), Secretary of the Treasury (L), Secretary of Veterans Affairs (M), Secretary of Labor (N), Secretary of State (O), Secretary of Homeland Security (P) Signup and view all the answers

What does the judicial branch do?

Reviews laws, explains laws, resolves disputes, and decides if a law goes against the Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

What is the highest court in the United States?

The Supreme Court Signup and view all the answers

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the number of justices. Signup and view all the answers

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name. Signup and view all the answers

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

Declare war (A), Create an army (B), Make treaties (C), Print money (D) Signup and view all the answers

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

Give a driver's license (A), Provide safety (fire departments) (B), Provide protection (police) (C), Provide schooling and education (D), Approve zoning and land use (E) Signup and view all the answers

Who is the Governor of your state now?

Answers will vary. Signup and view all the answers

What is the capital of your state?

Answers will vary. Signup and view all the answers

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

Republican (A), Democratic (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the political party of the President now?

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the political party. Signup and view all the answers

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

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name. Signup and view all the answers

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

A male citizen of any race (A), You don't have to pay (a poll tax) (B), Citizens eighteen (18) and older (C), Any citizen can vote (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens

Serve on a jury (A), Vote in a federal election (B) Signup and view all the answers

Name one right only for United States citizens.

Vote in a federal election (A), Run for federal office (B) Signup and view all the answers

What are two rights of everyone living in the United States

Freedom of religion (A), Freedom of expression (B), Freedom of assembly (C), Freedom of speech (D), Freedom to petition the government (E), The right to bear arms (F) Signup and view all the answers

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

The United States, and the flag. Signup and view all the answers

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

Serve (do important work for) the nation (A), Defend the Constitution and laws of the United States (B), Obey the laws of the United States (C), Be loyal to the United States (D), Give up loyalty to other countries (E), Serve in the U.S. military (F) Signup and view all the answers

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

18 and older Signup and view all the answers

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

Vote (A), Help with a campaign (B), Give an elected official your opinion (C), Publicly support or oppose an issue (D), Call Senators and Representatives (E), Join a civic group (F), Run for office (G), Join a political party (H), Write to a newspaper (I), Join a community group (J) Signup and view all the answers

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

April 15 Signup and view all the answers

When must all men register for the Selective Service?

At age 18, and between ages 18 and 26. Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason colonists came to America?

Freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity, to practice their religion, or to escape persecution. Signup and view all the answers

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

American Indians, or Native Americans. Signup and view all the answers

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

Africans, or people from Africa. Signup and view all the answers

Why did the colonists fight the British?

Because of high taxes (taxation without representation) (A), Because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering) (B), Because they didn't have self-government (C) Signup and view all the answers

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson Signup and view all the answers

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

July 4, 1776 Signup and view all the answers

There were 13 original states. Name three.

Massachusetts (A), South Carolina (B), New York (C), North Carolina (D), Georgia (E), Maryland (F), Pennsylvania (G), Connecticut (H), New Jersey (I), Virginia (J), Rhode Island (K), Delaware (L), New Hampshire (M) Signup and view all the answers

What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

The Constitution was written, and the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

When was the Constitution written?

1787 Signup and view all the answers

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

John Jay (A), Alexander Hamilton (B), James Madison (C), Publius (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

Writer of "Poor Richard's Almanac" (A), U.S. diplomat (B), Oldest member of the Constitutional Convention (C), First Postmaster General of the United States (D), Started the first free libraries (E) Signup and view all the answers

Who is the "Father of Our Country"?

George Washington Signup and view all the answers

Who was the first President?

George Washington Signup and view all the answers

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

The Louisiana Territory, or Louisiana. Signup and view all the answers

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

Civil War (A), Mexican-American War (B), War of 1812 (C), Spanish-American War (D) Signup and view all the answers

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

The Civil War, or the War between the States. Signup and view all the answers

Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

States' rights (A), Economic reasons (B), Slavery (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation) (A), Saved (or preserved) the Union (B), Led the United States during the Civil War (C) Signup and view all the answers

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Freed slaves, freed slaves in the Confederacy, freed slaves in the Confederate states, and freed slaves in most Southern states. Signup and view all the answers

What did Susan B. Anthony do?

Fought for women's rights, and fought for civil rights. Signup and view all the answers

Who was President during World War I?

Woodrow Wilson Signup and view all the answers

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

Franklin Roosevelt Signup and view all the answers

Who did the United States fight in World War II?

Japan, Germany, and Italy. Signup and view all the answers

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

World War II Signup and view all the answers

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

Communism. Signup and view all the answers

What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

The civil rights movement. Signup and view all the answers

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

Fought for civil rights, and worked for equality for all Americans. Signup and view all the answers

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

Terrorists attacked the United States. Signup and view all the answers

Name 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, or Inuit. Signup and view all the answers

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

Missouri River (A), Mississippi River (B) Signup and view all the answers

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

The Pacific Ocean. Signup and view all the answers

Name one U.S. territory.

Puerto Rico (A), Northern Mariana Islands (B), American Samoa (C), U.S. Virgin Islands (D), Guam (E) Signup and view all the answers

Name one state that borders Canada.

Maine (A), Minnesota (B), Michigan (C), New Hampshire (D), Idaho (E), Montana (F), Washington (G), New York (H), North Dakota (I), Alaska (J), Ohio (K), Pennsylvania (L), Vermont (M) Signup and view all the answers

Name one state that borders Mexico.

New Mexico (A), California (B), Texas (C), Arizona (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the capital of the United States?

Washington, D.C. Signup and view all the answers

Where is the Statue of Liberty?

New York (Harbor), or Liberty Island, near New York City, and on the Hudson River. Signup and view all the answers

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Because there were 13 original colonies (A), Because the stripes represent the original colonies (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

Because there is one star for each state (A), Because there are 50 states (B), Because each star represents a state (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the national anthem?

The Star-Spangled Banner Signup and view all the answers

When do we celebrate Independence Day?

July 4 Signup and view all the answers

Name two national U.S. holidays.

Memorial Day (A), Labor Day (B), Presidents' Day (C), Veterans Day (D), Columbus Day (E), Christmas (F), New Year's Day (G), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (H), Thanksgiving (I), Independence Day (J) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What is the supreme law of the land?

The Constitution is the supreme law of the land in the United States. It establishes the framework for the government, defines its powers, and protects the fundamental rights of American citizens.

What is an amendment?

An amendment is a change or addition to the Constitution. It allows the Constitution to adapt to changing times and societal needs.

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

The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. They guarantee essential individual freedoms such as speech, religion, and the press.

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

The Declaration of Independence declared the United States' freedom from British rule. It outlined the principles of self-government and natural rights.