2025 civics test: all 128 questions

1. What is the form of government of the United States?

Accepted answers

• Republic
• Constitution-based federal republic
• Representative democracy

Americans elect representatives to make the laws for them, and those representatives are themselves bound by a written constitution. That is why USCIS describes the country as a constitution-based federal republic; the shorter answers 'republic' and 'representative democracy' are accepted too. Power is also shared between the national government and the states, and no king or single party holds it.

2. What is the supreme law of the land?

Answer

• (U.S.) Constitution

Supreme law of the land means that no other rule may stand against it. Every state law, every act of Congress and every action by an official must fit the Constitution, and a court will refuse to apply anything that conflicts with it. The Articles of Confederation were replaced in 1789, and the Declaration of Independence is a statement of principle, not a law.

3. Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does.

Accepted answers

• Forms the government
• Defines powers of government
• Defines the parts of government
• Protects the rights of the people

The Constitution creates the government and then sets the rules that this government must follow. USCIS accepts any one of four answers: it forms the government, defines its powers, defines its parts, or protects the rights of the people. Independence from Britain was declared eleven years earlier, in a different document.

4. The U.S. Constitution starts with the words "We the People." What does "We the People" mean?

Accepted answers

• Self-government
• Popular sovereignty
• Consent of the governed
• People should govern themselves
• (Example of) social contract

Those opening words say that the government's authority comes from ordinary people, not from a king, a wealthy class or the state governments. USCIS accepts several ways of saying this: consent of the governed, popular sovereignty, self-government, people should govern themselves, or an example of a social contract. Government may act only because the people have agreed to let it.

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

Accepted answers

• Amendments
• The amendment process

Changes to the text are made by amendment: Congress, or a convention called by the states, proposes one, and three-quarters of the states must then ratify it. The United States holds no national referendum, so the public cannot vote the text in directly. A president cannot rewrite the Constitution by executive order either, and courts may only interpret the words, not change them.

6. What does the Bill of Rights protect?

Accepted answers

• (The basic) rights of Americans
• (The basic) rights of people living in the United States

The Bill of Rights is the name for the first ten amendments, added in 1791. They limit what the government may do, protecting basic freedoms such as speech, religion, assembly and a fair trial. USCIS accepts either 'the basic rights of Americans' or 'the basic rights of people living in the United States', because most of these protections cover residents as well as citizens.

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

Answer

• Twenty-seven (27)

There are 27 amendments in total. A simple way to hold the number is ten plus seventeen: the first ten arrived together in 1791 as the Bill of Rights, and seventeen more followed over the next two centuries. The most recent one, the 27th, was ratified in 1992, more than two hundred years after it was first proposed.

8. Why is the Declaration of Independence important?

Accepted answers

• It says America is free from British control.
• It says all people are created equal.
• It identifies inherent rights.
• It identifies individual freedoms.

The Declaration of 1776 stated an idea that was radical for its time: people are born equal and hold rights that no government gives them and none may take away. USCIS also accepts that it announced America's freedom from British control, or that it identifies inherent rights and individual freedoms. The structure of the government, including the three branches, came later, in the Constitution.

9. What founding document said the American colonies were free from Britain?

Answer

• Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence, adopted on 4 July 1776, told Britain and the world that the thirteen colonies were now free and independent states. That is the date Americans celebrate each year as Independence Day. The other documents here deal with rights, colonial self-rule or the debate over the Constitution, not with the break from Britain.

10. Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Accepted answers

• Equality
• Liberty
• Social contract
• Natural rights
• Limited government
• Self-government

Both documents rest on the same core ideas: people are born with rights that no government creates, and the government they set up must stay within limits. Limited government means officials hold only the powers the people have granted them. USCIS also accepts equality, liberty, social contract and self-government, so any two ideas from that list count.

11. The words "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" are in what founding document?

Answer

• Declaration of Independence

The phrase comes from the opening section of the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. Many applicants guess the Constitution, but it never uses those words: the Fifth Amendment speaks of 'life, liberty, or property'. Tie the word 'Happiness' to the year 1776 and you will not confuse the two.

12. What is the economic system of the United States?

Accepted answers

• Capitalism
• Free market economy

In the United States most businesses are privately owned, and prices are set by supply and demand rather than by a government plan. That system is called capitalism, and USCIS also accepts 'free market economy'. The government does regulate business and runs some services, but it does not own or direct most of the economy.

13. What is the rule of law?

Accepted answers

• Everyone must follow the law.
• Leaders must obey the law.
• Government must obey the law.
• No one is above the law.

Rule of law means the same rules apply to everyone in the country, citizens and non-citizens alike, and to the government itself. Holding office creates no exemption: the President, judges, police officers and members of Congress are all bound by the law. USCIS accepts several wordings, such as 'everyone must follow the law' or 'no one is above the law'.

14. Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution. Name one.

Accepted answers

• Declaration of Independence
• Articles of Confederation
• Federalist Papers
• Anti-Federalist Papers
• Virginia Declaration of Rights
• Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
• Mayflower Compact
• Iroquois Great Law of Peace

The Federalist Papers were essays published in 1787 and 1788 to explain the proposed Constitution and persuade the states to ratify it. Several other documents are accepted too, including the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Mayflower Compact and the Iroquois Great Law of Peace. None of the other three shaped the Constitution — they are later policy statements and speeches.

15. There are three branches of government. Why?

Accepted answers

• So one part does not become too powerful
• Checks and balances
• Separation of powers

The three branches exist so that each one can limit the other two: Congress passes a law, the President may veto it, and the courts may rule that it conflicts with the Constitution. USCIS also accepts 'separation of powers', or the plain answer that no single part should become too powerful. Federalism is a different idea: it divides power between the national government and the states, not between the branches.

16. Name the three branches of government.

Accepted answers

• Legislative, executive, and judicial
• Congress, president, and the courts

The three branches are the legislative, which writes the laws, the executive, which carries them out, and the judicial, which decides what they mean. You may also answer in everyday words: Congress, the President and the courts. Federal, state and city are levels of government, which is a different idea from branches.

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

Answer

• Executive branch

The President leads the executive branch, the part of government that carries out and enforces the laws Congress passes. It helps to remember that 'to execute' means to put something into action. This branch also includes the Vice President, the Cabinet and the federal agencies; there is no electoral branch.

18. What part of the federal government writes laws?

Accepted answers

• (U.S.) Congress
• (U.S. or national) legislature
• Legislative branch

Congress writes the laws. The President signs or vetoes them and the courts decide what they mean, but neither one writes them. You may also answer 'legislative branch' or 'national legislature', since to legislate simply means to make law.

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

Answer

• Senate and House (of Representatives)

Congress has two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives, and a bill must pass both before it can become law. Every state sends two senators, while the number of House seats depends on how many people live in the state. A legislature with two chambers like this is called bicameral.

20. Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

Accepted answers

• Writes laws
• Declares war
• Makes the federal budget

Congress controls the money: it passes the federal budget and decides how tax dollars are spent. USCIS also accepts that Congress writes laws and that it declares war. The veto belongs to the President, who is also Commander in Chief of the armed forces, and deciding what a law means is the work of the courts.

21. How many U.S. senators are there?

Answer

• One hundred (100)

There are 100 senators, because each of the 50 states sends exactly two, whatever its population. That equal share is how smaller states keep real influence in Congress. The number 435 belongs to the House of Representatives, so keep the two apart.

22. How long is a term for a U.S. senator?

Answer

• Six (6) years

A senator serves a six-year term and must then stand for election again. Elections are staggered, so only about a third of Senate seats are up for election at a time, and the chamber stays stable. Compare this with two years for a member of the House and four years for the President.

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

Answer

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

This answer depends on the state you live in.

This one depends on the state where you live, because every state elects its own two U.S. senators. Look up the current names for your state at senate.gov, and check again shortly before your interview, since senators change after elections. If you live in Washington, D.C., or in a U.S. territory, the right answer is that you have no U.S. senators.

24. How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?

Answer

• Four hundred thirty-five (435)

The House has 435 voting members, a number fixed by law since 1929. The seats are shared among the states by population, so California has many and Wyoming has only one. A simple pair to memorize: 435 in the House, 100 in the Senate.

25. How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?

Answer

• Two (2) years

Members of the House are elected every two years, and the whole House faces the voters at the same time. This short term keeps them close to the people in their district. Senators serve much longer, six years.

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

Answer

• To more closely follow public opinion

A two-year term means a representative must ask voters for support very often. That pressure pushes them to pay attention to what people want right now. Senators, with six-year terms, are expected to take a longer view.

27. How many senators does each state have?

Answer

• Two (2)

Every state, large or small, sends exactly two senators to Washington. With 50 states, that makes 100 senators in total. Population changes how many representatives a state gets, but never the number of senators.

28. Why does each state have two senators?

Accepted answers

• Equal representation (for small states)
• The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

When the Constitution was written, small states feared that large states would control everything. The solution was to give every state the same voice in the Senate, two seats each, while the House is based on population. That deal is also called the Great Compromise.

29. Name your U.S. representative.

Answer

• Answers will vary. [Residents of territories with nonvoting Delegates or Resident Commissioners may provide the name of that Delegate or Commissioner. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) representatives in Congress.]

This answer depends on the state you live in.

Your representative depends on the congressional district where you live, not only on your state. Enter your ZIP code at house.gov to find the current name, and check it again close to your interview, because these seats are elected every two years. If you live in Washington, D.C., or in a U.S. territory, you may give the name of your non-voting Delegate or Resident Commissioner, or say that you have no voting representative in Congress.

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

Answer

• Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

This answer changes when the officeholder changes — check the current one before your interview.

The Speaker leads the House of Representatives and is chosen by the members of the House, so the name changes whenever they elect someone new. Confirm the current Speaker at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates before your interview. The officer expects the name that is correct on the day you are tested.

31. Who does a U.S. senator represent?

Accepted answers

• Citizens of their state
• People of their state

A senator is elected by the whole state, so the senator speaks for everyone living there, not for one city or one district. Each state has exactly two senators, however large or small it is. Representatives are chosen district by district, and most states are divided into several districts.

32. Who elects U.S. senators?

Answer

• Citizens from their state

Voters in each state choose their senators directly at the ballot box. This was not always so: before the 17th Amendment in 1913, state legislatures picked them. Today the people of the state decide.

33. Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent?

Accepted answers

• Citizens in their (congressional) district
• Citizens in their district
• People from their (congressional) district
• People in their district

The country is divided into 435 congressional districts, and each representative speaks for the people living in one district. A representative speaks for everyone in that district, not only for the people who voted for them. Senators, by contrast, are elected by an entire state and speak for the whole state.

34. Who elects members of the House of Representatives?

Answer

• Citizens from their (congressional) district

Only citizens who live inside a congressional district can vote for the person who will represent it. Nobody outside the district takes part in that race, and the whole House is elected every two years. Voting in federal elections is a right that belongs to U.S. citizens only.

35. Some states have more representatives than other states. Why?

Accepted answers

• (Because of) the state's population
• (Because) they have more people
• (Because) some states have more people

House seats are shared out according to how many people live in each state. After every census, states that grew can gain seats and states that shrank can lose them. Land size does not matter: Alaska is huge but has only one representative.

36. The President of the United States is elected for how many years?

Answer

• Four (4) years

A presidential term lasts four years, and the election is held in November of every fourth year. Because a president may be elected twice, the longest normal service is eight years. Keep the set together: four for the president, six for a senator, two for a representative.

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

Accepted answers

• (Because of) the 22nd Amendment
• To keep the president from becoming too powerful

The 22nd Amendment, added in 1951, limits a president to two elected terms. It was passed after Franklin D. Roosevelt won four elections in a row. The purpose is to stop one person holding that much power for too long.

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

Answer

• Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the President of the United States.

This answer changes when the officeholder changes — check the current one before your interview.

The president serves a four-year term, so this name can change after each presidential election. Check the current president at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates shortly before your interview. Give the name of the person holding the office on the day of your test.

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

Answer

• Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Vice President of the United States.

This answer changes when the officeholder changes — check the current one before your interview.

The vice president is elected together with the president, so this name changes with a new administration. Confirm it at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates before your interview. Say the name of whoever holds the office on your test day.

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

Answer

• The Vice President (of the United States)

The vice president is first in line and takes over at once if the president dies, resigns, or cannot continue. This has really happened, for example when Lyndon B. Johnson became president in 1963. Only after the vice president does the Speaker of the House come next.

41. Name one power of the president.

Accepted answers

• Signs bills into law
• Vetoes bills
• Enforces laws
• Commander in Chief (of the military)
• Chief diplomat
• Appoints federal judges

The president is Commander in Chief, so the armed forces are under the president's command. Congress writes the laws and alone can declare war, while the courts are led by judges the president appoints but does not control. The officer also accepts signing bills into law, vetoing bills, enforcing laws, chief diplomat, and appointing federal judges.

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

Answer

• The President (of the United States)

The Constitution puts the armed forces under an elected civilian leader rather than under a general. Generals and the secretary of defense all report to the president. This keeps the military answerable to the leader the people chose.

43. Who signs bills to become laws?

Answer

• The President (of the United States)

A bill becomes law when the president signs it. Congress writes and passes the bill first, then sends it to the White House. If the president vetoes it, Congress can still make it law with a two-thirds vote in both houses.

44. Who vetoes bills?

Answer

• The President (of the United States)

A veto is the president's refusal to sign a bill, which sends it back to Congress. Congress can still turn it into law if two-thirds of both houses vote for it again. Signing and vetoing are the two sides of the same presidential power.

45. Who appoints federal judges?

Answer

• The President (of the United States)

Federal judges are chosen by the President, who sends each name to the Senate. The Senate then votes to accept or reject that person, so the two branches share the process. A short way to remember it: the President appoints, the Senate approves.

46. The executive branch has many parts. Name one.

Accepted answers

• President (of the United States)
• Cabinet
• Federal departments and agencies

The Cabinet is the group of department heads who advise the President, so it belongs to the executive branch. USCIS also accepts the President, or the federal departments and agencies. The Supreme Court and the Senate work in the other two branches, and state legislatures are not part of the federal government at all.

47. What does the President's Cabinet do?

Answer

• Advises the President (of the United States)

Cabinet members lead the big federal departments and give the President expert advice about their own subject, such as defense, money, or health. They do not write laws, they do not judge cases, and they do not choose judges. Think of them as the President's team of advisers.

48. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Accepted answers

• Attorney General
• Secretary of Agriculture
• Secretary of Commerce
• Secretary of Education
• Secretary of Energy
• Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Secretary of Homeland Security
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
• Secretary of the Interior
• Secretary of Labor
• Secretary of State
• Secretary of Transportation
• Secretary of the Treasury
• Secretary of Veterans Affairs
• Secretary of War (Defense)
• Vice-President
• Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
• Administrator of the Small Business Administration
• Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
• Director of the Office of Management and Budget
• Director of National Intelligence
• United States Trade Representative

Most Cabinet-level titles begin with Secretary, but the Attorney General, the Vice-President, several agency Administrators and Directors, and the U.S. Trade Representative also count. At the interview you only need to name two of them. The leaders of Congress and of the courts are not in the Cabinet, because they work in different branches.

49. Why is the Electoral College important?

Accepted answers

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

Voters in each state choose electors, and those electors formally elect the President. USCIS also accepts the answer that it is a compromise between a direct popular vote and letting Congress choose. This is why a candidate must win enough electoral votes, not simply the most votes across the country.

50. What is one part of the judicial branch?

Accepted answers

• Supreme Court
• Federal Courts

The judicial branch is the court system, and the Supreme Court sits at the top of it; the federal courts below it are also an accepted answer. The Department of Justice sounds like a court, but it is one of the President's departments, so it sits in the executive branch. Congress and its House of Representatives write the laws instead of judging them.

51. What does the judicial branch do?

Accepted answers

• Reviews laws
• Explains laws
• Resolves disputes (disagreements) about the law
• Decides if a law goes against the (U.S.) Constitution

Courts look at laws and decide whether they agree with the Constitution. Explaining what a law means and settling disagreements about it are also accepted answers. Judges never write laws themselves, because that work belongs to Congress.

52. What is the highest court in the United States?

Answer

• Supreme Court

No court in the United States stands above the Supreme Court, so its decision in a case is final. A district court hears a case first and a court of appeals can review that decision, but the Supreme Court has the last word. State courts and special courts such as the Tax Court are lower as well.

53. How many seats are on the Supreme Court?

Answer

• Nine (9)

The Supreme Court has nine seats: one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. The number is not written in the Constitution; Congress fixed it by law in 1869 and it has stayed the same ever since.

54. How many Supreme Court justices are usually needed to decide a case?

Answer

• Five (5)

There are nine justices, so a majority is five. Five justices who agree are usually enough to decide a case, even though all nine normally hear the arguments.

55. How long do Supreme Court justices serve?

Accepted answers

• (For) life
• Lifetime appointment
• (Until) retirement

Justices keep their seats for life, and they leave only by retiring, resigning, or being removed after impeachment. USCIS also accepts a lifetime appointment, or until retirement. Because there is no fixed term, some justices serve for thirty years or more.

56. Supreme Court justices serve for life. Why?

Accepted answers

• To be independent (of politics)
• To limit outside (political) influence

A judge who never has to win an election or please a President can decide cases on the law alone. USCIS also accepts the answer that life tenure limits outside political influence, which is the same idea in other words. Justices can still be removed by impeachment, but that almost never happens.

57. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

Answer

• Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Chief Justice of the United States.

This answer changes when the officeholder changes — check the current one before your interview.

The name changes whenever a new Chief Justice takes office, so learn the current one shortly before your interview instead of memorizing an old name. USCIS keeps the up-to-date answer at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates. The Chief Justice leads the Supreme Court and, like the other justices, is appointed by the President for life.

58. Name one power that is only for the federal government.

Accepted answers

• Print paper money
• Mint coins
• Declare war
• Create an army
• Make treaties
• Set foreign policy

Only the national government may print paper money; no state is allowed to. Minting coins, declaring war, creating an army, making treaties, and setting foreign policy are also federal-only powers. The pattern is easy: money, the military, and dealing with other countries belong to Washington.

59. Name one power that is only for the states.

Accepted answers

• Provide schooling and education
• Provide protection (police)
• Provide safety (fire departments)
• Give a driver's license
• Approve zoning and land use

Driver's licenses are issued by each state, which is why the rules and the card change when you move. Schools, police, fire services, and zoning are also state responsibilities. Money, war, and treaties, by contrast, are handled only by the federal government.

60. What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?

Answer

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

The 10th Amendment says that any power the Constitution does not give to the national government stays with the states or with the people. This is what protects state control over everyday matters such as schools, police, and driver's licenses. It is the last amendment in the Bill of Rights.

61. Who is the governor of your state now?

Answer

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

This answer depends on the state you live in.

This answer depends on the state where you live, and governors change after elections, so check the current name close to your interview date. Your state government's official website always shows who holds the office now. If you live in Washington, D.C., the correct reply is that D.C. does not have a governor.

62. What is the capital of your state?

Answer

• Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.]

This answer depends on the state you live in.

Every state has its own capital city, and it is often not the biggest city in the state, so confirm yours on your state government's website before the interview. Residents of Washington, D.C. should say that D.C. is not a state and has no capital. If you live in a U.S. territory, name the capital of that territory.

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

Accepted answers

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

The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to eighteen. The other three voting amendments let men of any race vote, gave women the vote, and ended poll taxes, and describing any one of the four is accepted. There is no property rule, no reading test, and no waiting period after a person becomes a citizen.

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

Accepted answers

• Citizens
• Citizens of the United States
• U.S. citizens

Voting in federal elections, running for federal office, and serving on a jury are kept for citizens only. Lawful permanent residents live, work, and pay taxes here legally, but they still cannot do these three things. This is one of the main reasons people decide to become citizens.

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

Accepted answers

• Freedom of expression
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of assembly
• Freedom to petition the government
• Freedom of religion
• The right to bear arms

Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms are all on the USCIS list of rights for everyone living in the United States, not only for citizens; federal gun laws do still limit some non-citizens. Freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and the freedom to ask the government to fix a problem are the other accepted answers. Voting, running for federal office, and jury service are different, because those belong to citizens alone.

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

Accepted answers

• The United States
• The flag

The Pledge is a promise of loyalty to the United States and to its flag, and USCIS accepts either answer. The flag is a symbol of the whole country, so the two answers point to the same thing. The promise is not made to a state, a city, or any officeholder.

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

Accepted answers

• Give up loyalty to other countries
• Defend the (U.S.) Constitution
• Obey the laws of the United States
• Serve in the military (if needed)
• Serve (help, do important work for) the nation (if needed)
• Be loyal to the United States

In the Oath of Allegiance a new citizen promises to obey the laws of the United States and to defend the Constitution. The Oath also asks the new citizen to give up loyalty to other countries, to be loyal to the United States, and to serve the nation if it is ever needed. Learning English and paying taxes are separate naturalization requirements, and there is no rule that a new citizen must live in the United States for five more years after taking the Oath.

68. How can people become United States citizens?

Accepted answers

• Be born in the United States, under the conditions set by the 14th Amendment
• Naturalize
• Derive citizenship (under conditions set by Congress)

Naturalization is the legal process a permanent resident goes through to become a citizen, and it ends with the Oath of Allegiance. People can also be citizens by being born in the United States under the conditions set by the 14th Amendment, or by deriving citizenship through their parents under rules set by Congress. Marrying a citizen can let you apply sooner, but it does not make you a citizen by itself, and buying a house gives you no immigration status at all.

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

Accepted answers

• Vote
• Run for office
• Join a political party
• Help with a campaign
• Join a civic group
• Join a community group
• Give an elected official your opinion (on an issue)
• Contact elected officials
• Support or oppose an issue or policy
• Write to a newspaper

Civic participation means taking an active part in public life, so helping with a candidate's campaign counts, and so does voting once you become a citizen. Joining a political party, a civic group or a community group, writing to a newspaper and telling elected officials your opinion are accepted too. Everyday paperwork such as renewing a license or opening an account is not participation, because it does not shape public decisions.

70. What is one way Americans can serve their country?

Accepted answers

• Vote
• Pay taxes
• Obey the law
• Serve in the military
• Run for office
• Work for local, state, or federal government

Joining the armed forces is the clearest way of serving the country, and it is one of the answers the officer accepts. Voting, paying taxes, obeying the law, running for office and working for local, state or federal government also count. Showing pride in the country, for example by flying the flag or learning the anthem, is not one of the accepted answers.

71. Why is it important to pay federal taxes?

Accepted answers

• Required by law
• All people pay to fund the federal government
• Required by the (U.S.) Constitution (16th Amendment)
• Civic duty

Paying federal tax is not a choice: the law requires it, and the 16th Amendment gives Congress the power to collect income tax. People who earn money pay, citizens and non-citizens alike, and that money funds the federal government itself, including the armed forces, the courts and federal benefits. Paying tax does not give you the right to vote, and it does not free you from state taxes.

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

Accepted answers

• Required by law
• Civic duty
• Makes the draft fair, if needed

Registering with the Selective Service is a duty a man owes to the country, and federal law requires it of almost all men aged 18 through 25, citizens and immigrants alike. It also keeps a future draft fair, because every name is on the same list. Registering does not enlist anyone in the army; it only records your details in case the country ever needs to call people up.

73. The colonists came to America for many reasons. Name one.

Accepted answers

• Freedom
• Political liberty
• Religious freedom
• Economic opportunity
• Escape persecution

Many colonists left Europe because they were not allowed to practice their own religion at home, so religious freedom is one of the accepted reasons. Freedom in general, political liberty, economic opportunity and escaping persecution are the others. Explorers were the ones looking for a sea route to Asia; the colonists came to settle and stay.

74. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

Accepted answers

• American Indians
• Native Americans

American Indians, also called Native Americans, lived across the land for thousands of years before any ships arrived from Europe. Either name is accepted at the interview. The English, Spanish and French were themselves Europeans, and Africans were brought later by force.

75. What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?

Accepted answers

• Africans
• People from Africa

Millions of people were taken by force from Africa and sold as slaves in the colonies and later in the United States. At the interview you can answer people from Africa, or simply Africans. Slavery in the United States was ended by the 13th Amendment after the Civil War.

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

Accepted answers

• American Revolution
• The (American) Revolutionary War
• War for (American) Independence

The American Revolution, also called the Revolutionary War or the War for Independence, was fought by the thirteen colonies against Britain. It began in 1775, the British surrendered at Yorktown in 1781, and the war formally ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The Civil War came much later and was fought between Americans, not against Britain.

77. Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.

Accepted answers

• High taxes
• Taxation without representation
• British soldiers stayed in Americans' houses (boarding, quartering)
• They did not have self-government
• Boston Massacre
• Boston Tea Party (Tea Act)
• Stamp Act
• Sugar Act
• Townshend Acts
• Intolerable (Coercive) Acts

Britain raised money by taxing the colonies, and the colonists had no representatives in Parliament to speak against those taxes. That is the famous complaint known as taxation without representation. The officer also accepts the lack of self-government, soldiers living in people's houses, and events such as the Boston Tea Party or the Stamp Act.

78. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Answer

• (Thomas) Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, when he was only 33 years old. He later became the third president of the United States. At the interview you may simply say the surname Jefferson.

79. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

Answer

• July 4, 1776

The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, which is why Independence Day falls on that date every year. Keep it apart from 1787, the year the Constitution was written in Philadelphia. If you remember the fireworks on the fourth of July, you remember the date.

80. The American Revolution had many important events. Name one.

Accepted answers

• (Battle of) Bunker Hill
• Declaration of Independence
• Washington Crossing the Delaware (Battle of Trenton)
• (Battle of) Saratoga
• Valley Forge (Encampment)
• (Battle of) Yorktown (British surrender at Yorktown)

The American victory at Saratoga in 1777 persuaded France to join the war on the American side, which changed everything. Bunker Hill, the Declaration of Independence, Washington crossing the Delaware, Valley Forge and Yorktown are accepted as well. Gettysburg, the Alamo, Little Bighorn and New Orleans all belong to later wars, so none of them is part of the Revolution.

81. There were 13 original states. Name five.

Accepted answers

• New Hampshire
• Massachusetts
• Rhode Island
• Connecticut
• New York
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Delaware
• Maryland
• Virginia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Georgia

The thirteen original states were the thirteen British colonies along the Atlantic coast, running from New Hampshire in the north down to Georgia in the south. Vermont is not one of them: it joined in 1791, after independence, as the fourteenth state. Maine is another common mistake, because it was part of Massachusetts until 1820.

82. What founding document was written in 1787?

Answer

• (U.S.) Constitution

Delegates met in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787 and wrote the Constitution, which replaced the much weaker Articles of Confederation. The Declaration of Independence was earlier, in 1776, and the Bill of Rights was added later, in 1791. Three dates worth fixing in your memory: 1776, 1787, 1791.

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

Accepted answers

• (James) Madison
• (Alexander) Hamilton
• (John) Jay
• Publius

Alexander Hamilton wrote most of the Federalist Papers, working with James Madison and John Jay. The three men published the essays under a single shared pen name, Publius, so that answer is accepted too. Jefferson was in France at the time and had no part in writing them.

84. Why were the Federalist Papers important?

Accepted answers

• They helped people understand the (U.S.) Constitution.
• They supported passing the (U.S.) Constitution.

The Federalist Papers were newspaper essays that explained the new Constitution in plain words so that ordinary people could follow it. They were written to persuade the states to approve the Constitution while they were still deciding, so that reason is accepted as well. Listing complaints against the British king was the job of the Declaration of Independence, a different document.

85. Benjamin Franklin is famous for many things. Name one.

Accepted answers

• Founded the first free public libraries
• First Postmaster General of the United States
• Helped write the Declaration of Independence
• Inventor
• U.S. diplomat

Benjamin Franklin set up the postal system for the new nation and served as its first Postmaster General. He is also accepted as an inventor, a U.S. diplomat, the founder of the first free public libraries and one of the men who helped write the Declaration of Independence. He was never president, although his face appears on the hundred-dollar bill.

86. George Washington is famous for many things. Name one.

Accepted answers

• "Father of Our Country"
• First president of the United States
• General of the Continental Army
• President of the Constitutional Convention

George Washington was chosen as the first president of the United States in 1789. Before that he commanded the Continental Army in the Revolution and led the Constitutional Convention, and he is known as the Father of Our Country. His portrait is on the one-dollar bill.

87. Thomas Jefferson is famous for many things. Name one.

Accepted answers

• Writer of the Declaration of Independence
• Third president of the United States
• Doubled the size of the United States (Louisiana Purchase)
• First Secretary of State
• Founded the University of Virginia
• Writer of the Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom

Thomas Jefferson served as the third president, from 1801 to 1809, after writing the Declaration of Independence years earlier. As president he bought the Louisiana Territory from France and doubled the size of the country. He was also the first Secretary of State and founded the University of Virginia.

88. James Madison is famous for many things. Name one.

Accepted answers

• "Father of the Constitution"
• Fourth president of the United States
• President during the War of 1812
• One of the writers of the Federalist Papers

James Madison is called the Father of the Constitution because he shaped its design and kept the record of the Convention debates. He was also the fourth president and led the country through the War of 1812, and he helped write the Federalist Papers. A simple pair to memorize: Washington is father of the country, Madison is father of the Constitution.

89. Alexander Hamilton is famous for many things. Name one.

Accepted answers

• First Secretary of the Treasury
• One of the writers of the Federalist Papers
• Helped establish the First Bank of the United States
• Aide to General George Washington
• Member of the Continental Congress

Hamilton was the first head of the Treasury Department, appointed by President Washington, and his face is on the ten-dollar bill. The officer also accepts that he was one of the writers of the Federalist Papers, that he helped establish the First Bank of the United States, that he was an aide to General George Washington, or that he was a member of the Continental Congress. Jefferson wrote the Declaration, Washington led the army, and John Marshall was the fourth Chief Justice.

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

Accepted answers

• Louisiana Territory
• Louisiana

France sold this enormous stretch of land in the middle of the continent to President Jefferson in 1803 for about fifteen million dollars. The purchase made the United States roughly twice as large overnight. Florida came later from Spain, and Alaska was bought from Russia.

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

Accepted answers

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

The War of 1812 was fought against Britain and falls inside the 1800s. Three other wars are accepted: the Mexican-American War, the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. World War I and Vietnam belong to the 1900s, and the Revolutionary War was in the 1700s.

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

Answer

• The Civil War

This war was fought between the northern states and the southern states from 1861 to 1865. The word civil means a war inside one country, between people of the same nation. Slavery and the question of keeping the country together were at the heart of it.

93. The Civil War had many important events. Name one.

Accepted answers

• (Battle of) Fort Sumter
• Emancipation Proclamation
• (Battle of) Vicksburg
• (Battle of) Gettysburg
• Sherman's March
• (Surrender at) Appomattox
• (Battle of) Antietam/Sharpsburg
• Lincoln was assassinated.

Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania, was a huge three-day battle in 1863 that turned the war in favor of the North. The other accepted events are Fort Sumter, the Emancipation Proclamation, Vicksburg, Sherman's March, Appomattox, Antietam and the assassination of Lincoln. Trenton, Bunker Hill and Saratoga come from the Revolutionary War, over eighty years earlier.

94. Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one.

Accepted answers

• Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
• Saved (or preserved) the Union
• Led the United States during the Civil War
• 16th president of the United States
• Delivered the Gettysburg Address

Lincoln was president number sixteen, serving from 1861 until he was killed in 1865. Saying that he freed the slaves, saved the Union, led the country through the Civil War or delivered the Gettysburg Address also counts. His face appears on the penny and the five-dollar bill.

95. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Accepted answers

• Freed the slaves
• Freed slaves in the Confederacy
• Freed slaves in the Confederate states
• Freed slaves in most Southern states

President Lincoln signed this order in 1863, during the Civil War, and it declared enslaved people in the rebelling states to be free. Answers that mention freeing slaves in the Confederacy or in most Southern states are accepted too. Citizenship and voting rights came later, through separate amendments.

96. What U.S. war ended slavery?

Answer

• The Civil War

Slavery came to an end as a result of the Civil War, and the 13th Amendment made that permanent in law in 1865. The same war answers several questions on this test, which makes studying easier. The Revolutionary War, much earlier, did not end slavery.

97. What amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens?

Answer

• 14th Amendment

The 14th Amendment, added in 1868 after the Civil War, made people born or naturalized in the United States citizens, including those who had been enslaved. Keep the numbers apart: 13 ended slavery, 14 gave citizenship, and 15 said race cannot be used to stop a man from voting. The 19th is the one about women voting.

98. When did all men get the right to vote?

Accepted answers

• After the Civil War
• During Reconstruction
• (With the) 15th Amendment
• 1870

The 15th Amendment was approved in 1870 and said that a man could not be refused the vote because of his race or color. You may answer with the year, with the amendment number, or by saying after the Civil War or during Reconstruction. Women had to wait another fifty years.

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

Accepted answers

• Susan B. Anthony
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• Sojourner Truth
• Harriet Tubman
• Lucretia Mott
• Lucy Stone

Susan B. Anthony spent her life campaigning for women to be allowed to vote, and she later appeared on a US dollar coin. The other accepted names are Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Lucretia Mott and Lucy Stone. Rosa Parks belongs to the civil rights movement of the 1950s, much later.

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

Accepted answers

• World War I
• World War II
• Korean War
• Vietnam War
• (Persian) Gulf War

The United States fought World War II from 1941 to 1945, firmly inside the 1900s. The other accepted answers are World War I, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. The Civil War and the War of 1812 belong to the century before.

101. Why did the United States enter World War I?

Accepted answers

• Because Germany attacked U.S. (civilian) ships
• To support the Allied Powers (England, France, Italy, and Russia)
• To oppose the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria)

German submarines sank ships carrying Americans, and that pushed the country into the war in 1917. You may also answer that the United States joined to support the Allied Powers or to oppose the Central Powers. Japan attacked American bases in 1941, which is why the United States entered World War II two years after it began.

102. When did all women get the right to vote?

Accepted answers

• 1920
• After World War I
• (With the) 19 th Amendment

The 19th Amendment took effect in 1920 and stopped states from refusing a person the vote because of sex. Naming the amendment or saying after World War I is also accepted. Compare it with 1870, when the 15th Amendment dealt with race instead.

103. What was the Great Depression?

Answer

• Longest economic recession in modern history

It was a very deep and very long collapse of the economy that began in 1929 and continued through the 1930s. Millions of people lost their jobs, their savings and their homes. Practice the exact phrase about the longest recession in modern history, because that is what the officer listens for.

104. When did the Great Depression start?

Accepted answers

• The Great Crash (1929)
• Stock market crash of 1929

The Depression began when share prices collapsed on the New York stock market in October 1929, an event often called the Great Crash. Banks failed in the months that followed and many families lost everything. The hard times then lasted about ten years.

105. Who was president during the Great Depression and World War II?

Answer

• (Franklin) Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt was president from 1933 until his death in 1945, which covers the Depression years and most of World War II. He is the only president ever elected four times. Hoover was in office when the crash happened but left in 1933, and Truman only arrived in the final months of the war.

106. Why did the United States enter World War II?

Accepted answers

• (Bombing of) Pearl Harbor
• Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor
• To support the Allied Powers (England, France, and Russia)
• To oppose the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan)

Japan bombed the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, and the United States declared war the next day. Saying the bombing of Pearl Harbor, or that the country joined to support the Allied Powers or to oppose the Axis Powers, is accepted as well. Do not mix this up with World War I, which had different causes.

107. Dwight Eisenhower is famous for many things. Name one.

Accepted answers

• General during World War II
• President at the end of (during) the Korean War
• 34 th president of the United States
• Signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (Created the Interstate System)

Eisenhower was the top American general in Europe during World War II, and that is the easiest answer to give. The officer also accepts president at the end of the Korean War, 34th president of the United States, and signing the 1956 highway act that created the Interstate System. Those four are the only accepted answers.

108. Who was the United States' main rival during the Cold War?

Accepted answers

• Soviet Union
• USSR
• Russia

The Cold War was the long period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union after 1945. It was called cold because the two sides never fought each other directly. Answering USSR or Russia is accepted as well.

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

Accepted answers

• Communism
• Nuclear war

Americans were afraid that communist government would spread from country to country around the world. Fear of nuclear war is the other answer that officers accept. Both worries shaped American foreign policy for roughly forty years.

110. Why did the United States enter the Korean War?

Answer

• To stop the spread of communism

American troops went to Korea in 1950 to prevent communist forces from taking control of the southern half of the country. This matches the wider Cold War goal of holding communism back. The same reasoning later explains American involvement in Vietnam.

111. Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War?

Answer

• To stop the spread of communism

The Vietnam War was part of the Cold War, when the United States tried to keep communist governments from taking over more countries. American troops supported South Vietnam against the communist North. If you remember Cold War, you remember the answer: stopping communism.

112. What did the civil rights movement do?

Answer

• Fought to end racial discrimination

In the 1950s and 1960s Black Americans and their supporters marched, went to court and changed laws to end unfair treatment based on race. The movement ended legal segregation in schools, on buses and in public places. Think of the words civil rights as meaning equal treatment for every race.

113. Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for many things. Name one.

Accepted answers

• Fought for civil rights
• Worked for equality for all Americans
• Worked to ensure that people would "not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character"

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a minister who led peaceful marches and protests for the equal treatment of Black Americans. His most famous speech, 'I Have a Dream', was given in Washington, D.C. in 1963. Any short answer about his work for civil rights or equality will satisfy the officer.

114. Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War?

Answer

• To force the Iraqi military from Kuwait

In 1990 Iraq invaded its small neighbor Kuwait, and a group of countries led by the United States pushed the Iraqi army back out in 1991. The goal was to free Kuwait, not to occupy Iraq. Link the words Gulf and Kuwait together in your memory.

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

Accepted answers

• Terrorists attacked the United States
• Terrorists took over two planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City
• Terrorists took over a plane and crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia
• Terrorists took over a plane originally aimed at Washington, D.C., and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania

That morning hijackers took control of passenger planes and used them as weapons against the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington. A fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back. The short answer, that terrorists attacked the United States, is enough.

116. Name one U.S. military conflict after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Accepted answers

• (Global) War on Terror
• War in Afghanistan
• War in Iraq

After the 2001 attacks American forces went into Afghanistan against al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and later into Iraq. The Gulf, Vietnam and Korean wars all happened many years earlier, so they do not count. You only need to name one conflict.

117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

Accepted answers

• Apache
• Blackfeet
• Cayuga
• Cherokee
• Cheyenne
• Chippewa
• Choctaw
• Creek
• Crow
• Hopi
• Huron
• Inupiat
• Lakota
• Mohawk
• Mohegan
• Navajo
• Oneida
• Onondaga
• Pueblo
• Seminole
• Seneca
• Shawnee
• Sioux
• Teton
• Tuscarora For a complete list of tribes, please visit bia.gov.

There are hundreds of federally recognized tribes in the United States, and the Navajo Nation is one of the largest, living mainly in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Aztec, Maya and Inca were peoples of Mexico, Central America and South America, not tribes of the United States. Choose one tribe name you can say easily and use it every time.

118. Name one example of an American innovation.

Accepted answers

• Light bulb
• Automobile (cars, internal combustion engine)
• Skyscrapers
• Airplane
• Assembly line
• Landing on the moon
• Integrated circuit (IC)

The practical electric light bulb was developed by Thomas Edison in the United States and changed daily life everywhere. The printing press, the steam engine and gunpowder all came from other parts of the world. Pick one American invention that is easy for you to pronounce and stay with it.

119. What is the capital of the United States?

Answer

• Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. has been the seat of the national government since 1800, and the White House, Congress and the Supreme Court are all located there. The letters D.C. stand for District of Columbia, which belongs to no state. New York and Philadelphia were early capitals but are not the capital today.

120. Where is the Statue of Liberty?

Accepted answers

• New York (Harbor)
• Liberty Island [Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]

The statue stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, close to the New Jersey shore. It was a gift from France in 1886 and was the first thing millions of immigrants saw when their ships arrived. Answers such as New York, Liberty Island or New Jersey are all accepted.

121. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Accepted answers

• (Because there were) 13 original colonies
• (Because the stripes) represent the original colonies

The thirteen stripes stand for the thirteen British colonies that became the first states. The count rose to 15 stripes in 1795 and stayed there for 23 years, which is why the flag Francis Scott Key saw at Fort McHenry in 1814 had 15 stripes; Congress set the number back to 13 in 1818, and since then only stars are added as new states join. Stripes count the colonies, stars count the states.

122. Why does the flag have 50 stars?

Accepted answers

• (Because there is) one star for each state
• (Because) each star represents a state
• (Because there are) 50 states

Every state is represented by one star on the flag. Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959 and the 50-star flag took effect on July 4, 1960; if another state ever joined, a new star would be added. Remember the pair: stars for states, stripes for the original colonies.

123. What is the name of the national anthem?

Answer

• The Star-Spangled Banner

Francis Scott Key wrote the words in 1814 after watching a British attack on Fort McHenry and seeing the American flag still flying in the morning. Congress made it the official national anthem in 1931. The other songs are patriotic and popular, but they are not the anthem.

124. The Nation's first motto was "E Pluribus Unum." What does that mean?

Accepted answers

• Out of many, one
• We all become one

E Pluribus Unum is Latin and you can see it printed on U.S. coins. It describes many separate states and many different people joining together to form a single nation. Do not mix it up with 'In God We Trust', which became the motto much later.

125. What is Independence Day?

Accepted answers

• A holiday to celebrate U.S. independence (from Britain)
• The country's birthday

Independence Day is the Fourth of July, the day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was approved and the colonies announced they were free from Britain. Families celebrate with fireworks, parades and picnics. Saying that it is the country's birthday is also accepted.

126. Name three national U.S. holidays.

Accepted answers

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

National holidays are federal holidays, which means government offices, courts and most banks are closed on those days. Flag Day, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are widely marked but are not official national holidays. You need to name three from the official list, so choose three that are easy for you to remember.

127. What is Memorial Day?

Answer

• A holiday to honor soldiers who died in military service

Memorial Day comes at the end of May and remembers members of the armed forces who died while serving the country. Veterans Day in November honors everyone who has served in the U.S. military, while Memorial Day is only for those who died in service, so keep the two apart. The word memorial means remembering someone who has died.

128. What is Veterans Day?

Accepted answers

• A holiday to honor people in the (U.S.) military
• A holiday to honor people who have served (in the U.S. military)

Veterans Day falls on November 11, the date the fighting of World War I stopped in 1918, and it thanks everyone who has worn a U.S. military uniform. Cities hold parades and ceremonies for them. November is for veterans, May is for Memorial Day.