Flashcards
USCIS Civics test for Citizenship
Cards in this deck (100)
- 1What is the supreme law of the land?The Constitution
- 2What does the Constitution do?Sets up the government
Defines the government
Protects basic rights of Americans - 3The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?We the People
- 4What is an amendment?A change (to the Constitution)
An addition (to the Constitution) - 5What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?The Bill of Rights
- 6What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?Speech
Religion
Assembly
Press
Petition the government - 7How many amendments does the Constitution have?27
- 8What did the Declaration of Independence do?Announced our independence
Declared our independence
Said that the United States is free
(from Great Britain) - 9What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?Life
Liberty
Pursuit of happiness - 10What is freedom of religion?You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
- 11What is the economic system in the United States?Capitalist economy
Market economy - 12What 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 - 13Name one branch or part of the governmentCongress
Legislative
President
Executive
The courts
Judicial - 14What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?Checks and balances
Separation of powers - 15Who is in charge of the executive branch?The President
- 16Who makes federal laws?* Congress
* Senate and House (of Representatives) * (U.S. or national) legislature
- 17What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?The Senate and House (of Representatives)
- 18How many U.S. Senators are there?100
- 19We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?6
- 20Who is one of your state senators now?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.]
- 21The House of Representatives has how many voting members?435
- 22We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?2
- 23Name your U.S. RepresentativeAnswers will vary. [Residents of territories with nonvoting Delegates or Resident Commissioners may provide the name of that person. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) Representatives in Congress.]
- 24Who does a U.S. Senator represent?All people of the state
- 25Why 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 - 26We elect a President for how many years?4
- 27In what month do we vote for President?November
- 28What is the name of the President of the United States now?Donald Trump
(Trump)
- 29What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?Mike Pence
(Pence)
- 30If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?The Vice President
- 31If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?The Speaker of the House
- 32Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?The President
- 33Who signs bills to become laws?The President
- 34Who vetoes bills?The President
- 35What does the President’s Cabinet do?Advises the President
- 36What are two Cabinet-level positions?Secretary of (the following 14 departments): Agriculture,Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing &Urban Development, the Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, & Attorney General, Vice President
- 37What does the judicial branch do?Reviews laws
Explains laws
Resolves disputes (disagreements)
Decides if a law goes against the Constitution - 38What is the highest court in the United States?The Supreme Court
- 39How many justices are on the Supreme Court?9
- 40Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.)
- 41Under 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 - 42Under 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 - 43Who is the Governor of your state now?Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a Governor.]
- 44What is the capital of your state?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.]
- 45What are the two major political parties in the United States?Democratic and Republican
- 46What is the political party of the President now?Democratic (Party)
- 47What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?Paul D. Ryan
(Paul) Ryan
- 48There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of themCitizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote). You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
Any citizen can vote. (Women and men).
A male citizen of any race (can vote). - 49What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?Serve on a jury
Vote in a federal election - 50Name one right only for United States citizens.Vote in a federal election
Run for federal office - 51What 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 - 52What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?The United States
The flag - 53What 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
Be loyal to the United States - 54How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?18 and older
- 55What 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
- 56When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?April 15
- 57When must all men register for the Selective Service?At age eighteen (18)
Between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26) - 58What is one reason colonists came to America?Freedom
Political liberty
Religious freedom
Economic opportunity
Practice their religion
Escape persecution - 59Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?American Indians
Native Americans - 60What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?Africans
(people from Africa) - 61Why 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 - 62Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?(Thomas) Jefferson
- 63When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?July 4, 1776
- 64There were 13 original states. Name threeNew Hampshire - Massachusetts - Rhode Island - Connecticut - New York - New Jersey - Pennsylvania - Delaware - Maryland - Virginia - North Carolina - South Carolina - Georgia
- 65What happened at the Constitutional Convention?The Constitution was written.
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution. - 66When was the Constitution written?1787
- 67The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers(James) Madison
(Alexander) Hamilton
(John) Jay
Publius - 68What 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 - 69Who is the “Father of Our Country”?(George) Washington
- 70Who was the first President?(George) Washington
- 71What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?The Louisiana Territory
(Louisiana)
- 72Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800sWar of 1812
Mexican-American War
Civil War
Spanish-American War - 73Name the U.S. war between the North and the SouthThe Civil War
(the War between the States) - 74Name one problem that led to the Civil WarSlavery
Economic reasons
States' rights - 75What 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 - 76What 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 - 77What did Susan B. Anthony do?Fought for women's rights
Fought for civil rights
- 78Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900sWorld War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
(Persian) Gulf War - 79Who was President during World War I?(Woodrow) Wilson
- 80Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?(Franklin) Roosevelt
- 81Who did the United States fight in World War II?Japan, Germany, and Italy
- 82Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?World War II
- 83During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?Communism
- 84What movement tried to end racial discrimination?Civil rights (movement)
- 85What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?Fought for civil rights
Worked for equality for all Americans
- 86What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?Terrorists attacked the United States.
- 87Name one American Indian tribe in the United StatesCherokee - Navajo - Sioux - Chippewa - Choctaw - Pueblo - Apache - Iroquois - Creek - Blackfeet - Seminole - Cheyenne - Arawak - Shawnee - Mohegan - Huron - Oneida - Lakota - Crow - Teton - Hopi - Inuit
- 88Name one of the two longest rivers in the United StatesMissouri (River)
Mississippi (River)
- 89What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?Pacific (Ocean)
- 90What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?Atlantic (Ocean)
- 91Name one U.S. territoryPuerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
American Samoa
Northern Mariana Islands
Guam - 92Name one state that borders CanadaMaine ▪ New Hampshire
Vermont ▪ New York
Pennsylvania ▪ Ohio
Michigan ▪ Minnesota
North Dakota ▪ Montana
Idaho ▪ Washington ▪ Alaska - 93Name one state that borders MexicoCalifornia
Arizona
New Mexico
Texas - 94What is the capital of the United States?Washington, D.C.
- 95Where is the Statue of Liberty?New York (Harbor)
Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).] - 96Why does the flag have 13 stripes?Because there were 13 original colonies Because the stripes represent the original colonies
- 97Why 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 - 98What is the name of the national anthem?The Star-Spangled Banner
- 99When do we celebrate Independence Day?July 4th
- 100Name two national U.S. holidaysNew Year’s Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Presidents’ Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving ▪ Christmas
Information
- Description
- During the naturalization interview, a USCIS officer will ask you up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions in English. You must answer correctly 6 of the 10 questions to pass the civics test. (It is not multiple choice - any of the answers on the back of these cards are correct). Accurate 1/30/2017.
- Created by
- Sarah Egan
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