U.S.A. Citizenship Test (100 Civics Questions) from uscis.gov

98. What is the name of the national anthem?

The Star-Spangled Banner

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

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

94. What is the capital of the United States?

Washington, D.C.

57. When must all men register for the Selective Service?

at age eighteen (18) between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)

21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

four hundred thirty-five (435)

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

Pacific (Ocean)

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

eighteen (18) and older

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

provide schooling and education provide protection (police) provide safety (fire departments) give a driver's license approve zoning and land use

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

serve on a jury vote in a federal election

2. What does the Constitution do?

sets up the government defines the government protects basic rights of Americans

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

the Constitution

33. Who signs bills to become laws?

the President

34. Who vetoes bills?

the President

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

April 15

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

freedom of expression freedom of speech freedom of assembly freedom to petition the government freedom of worship the right to bear arms

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

Democrat and Republican

46. What is the political party of the President now?

Democratic (Party)

12. What is the "rule of law"?

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

81. Who did the United States fight in World War II?

Japan, Germany, and Italy

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

give up loyalty to other countries defend the Constitution and laws of the United States obey the laws of the United States serve in the U.S. military (if needed) serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed) be loyal to the United States

9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

life liberty pursuit of happiness

39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

nine (9)

18. How many U.S. Senators are there?

one hundred (100)

37. What does the judicial branch do?

reviews laws explains laws resolves disputes (disagreements) decides if a law goes against the Constitution

76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

freed the slaves freed slaves in the Confederacy freed slaves in the Confederate states freed slaves in most Southern states

75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation) saved (or preserved) the Union led the United States during the Civil War

58. What is one reason colonists came to America?

freedom political liberty religious freedom economic opportunity practice their religion escape persecution

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

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).

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

Missouri (River) Mississippi (River)

64. There were 13 original states. Name three.

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

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

Terrorists attacked the United States.

15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

the President

32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

the President

85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

fought for civil rights worked for equality for all Americans

77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?

fought for women's rights fought for civil rights

26. We elect a President for how many years?

four (4)

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

(Franklin) Roosevelt

69. Who is the "Father of Our Country"?

(George) Washington

70. Who was the first President?

(George) Washington

27. In what month do we vote for President?

November

44. What is the capital of your state?

Lansing, Michigan

79. Who was President during World War I?

(Woodrow) Wilson

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

the Supreme Court

59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

American Indians Native Americans

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

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

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

(John) Boehner

62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

(Thomas) Jefferson

25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

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

66. When was the Constitution written?

1787

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

Africans people from Africa

90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

Atlantic (Ocean)

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

Barack Obama Obama

93. Name one state that borders Mexico.

California Arizona New Mexico Texas

87. 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 Inuit

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

Communism

16. Who makes federal laws?

Congress Senate and House (of Representatives) (U.S. or national) legislature

13. Name one branch or part of the government.

Congress legislative President executive the courts judicial

43. Who is the Governor of your state now?

Current Governor of Michigan

23. Name your U.S. Representative.

Current Michigan House Rep

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

Current Michigan Senators

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

John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.)

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

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Joe Biden Biden

99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?

July 4

63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

July 4, 1776

92. Name one state that borders Canada.

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

100. Name two national U.S. holidays.

New Year's Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Presidents' Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Christmas

95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?

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

91. Name one U.S. territory.

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

36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Secretary of Agriculture Secretary of Commerce Secretary of Defense 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 Attorney General Vice President

65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

The Constitution was written. The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.

68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

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

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

We the People

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

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

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

World War II

10. What is freedom of religion?

You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

4. What is an amendment?

a change (to the Constitution) an addition (to the Constitution)

35. What does the President's Cabinet do?

advises the President

24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

all people of the state

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

announced our independence (from Great Britain) declared our independence (from Great Britain) said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)

61. Why did the colonists fight the British?

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

97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?

because there is one star for each state because each star represents a state because there are 50 states

96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

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

11. What is the economic system in the United States?

capitalist economy market economy

14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

checks and balances separation of powers

84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

civil rights (movement)

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

six (6)

74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

slavery economic reasons states' rights

6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

speech religion assembly press petition the government

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

the Bill of Rights

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

the Civil War the War between the States

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

the Louisiana Territory Louisiana

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

the Senate and House (of Representatives)

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

the Speaker of the House

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

the United States the flag

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

the Vice President

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

to print money to declare war to create an army to make treaties

7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

twenty-seven (27)

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

two (2)

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

vote 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 call Senators and Representatives publicly support or oppose an issue or policy run for office write to a newspaper

50. Name one right only for United States citizens.

vote in a federal election run for federal office