Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test
The 100 civics (history and government) questions and answers for the naturalization test are listed below. The civics test is an oral test and the USCIS Officer will ask the applicant up to 10 of the 100 civics questions. An applicant must answer
6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test.
On the naturalization test, some answers may change because of elections or appointments. As you study for the test,
make sure that you know the most current answers to these questions. Answer these questions with the name of the official who is serving at the time of your eligibility interview with USCIS. The USCIS Officer will not accept an incorrect
answer.
Although USCIS is aware that there may be additional correct answers to the 100 civics questions, applicants are encouraged to respond to the civics questions using the answers provided below.
Answer: the Constitution
Answer: sets up the government
defines the government
protects basic rights of Americans
Answer: We the People
Answer: a change (to the Constitution)
an addition (to the Constitution)
Answer: the Bill of Rights
Answer: speech
religion
assembly
press
petition the government
Answer: twenty-seven (27)
Answer: announced our independence (from Great Britain)
declared our independence (from Great Britain)
said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
Answer: life
liberty
pursuit of happiness
Answer: You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
Answer: capitalist economy
market economy
Answer: Everyone must follow the law.
Leaders must obey the law.
Government must obey the law.
No one is above the law.
Answer: Congress
legislative
President
executive
the courts
judicial
Answer: checks and balances
separation of powers
Answer: the President
Answer: Congress
Senate and House (of Representatives)
(U.S. or national) legislature
Answer: the Senate and House (of Representatives)
Answer: one hundred (100)
Answer: six (6)
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.]
Answer: four hundred thirty-five (435)
Answer: two (2)
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.]
Answer: all people of the state
Answer: (because of) the state's population
(because) they have more people
(because) some states have more people
Answer: four (4)
Answer: November
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the President of the United States.
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Vice President of the United States.
Answer: the Vice President
Answer: the Speaker of the House
Answer: the President
Answer: the President
Answer: the President
Answer: advises the President
Answer: 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
Answer: reviews laws
explains laws
resolves disputes (disagreements)
decides if a law goes against the Constitution
Answer: the Supreme Court
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the number of justices on the Supreme Court.
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Chief Justice of the United States.
Answer: to print money
to declare war
to create an army
to make treaties
Answer: provide schooling and education
provide protection (police)
provide safety (fire departments)
give a driver's license
approve zoning and land use
Answer: Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a Governor.]
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.]
Answer: Democratic and Republican
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the political party of the President.
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Answer: 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).
Answer: serve on a jury
vote in a federal election
Answer: vote in a federal election
run for federal office
Answer: freedom of expression
freedom of speech
freedom of assembly
freedom to petition the government
freedom of religion
the right to bear arms
Answer: the United States
the flag
Answer: 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
Answer: eighteen (18) and older
Answer: 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
Answer: April 15
Answer: at age eighteen (18)
between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
Answer: freedom
political liberty
religious freedom
economic opportunity
practice their religion
escape persecution
Answer: American Indians
Native Americans
Answer: Africans
people from Africa
Answer: because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
because they didn't have self-government
Answer: (Thomas) Jefferson
Answer: July 4, 1776
Answer: New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Answer: The Constitution was written.
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
Answer: 1787
Answer: (James) Madison
(Alexander) Hamilton
(John) Jay
Publius
Answer: 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
Answer: (George) Washington
Answer: (George) Washington
Answer: the Louisiana Territory
Louisiana
Answer: War of 1812
Mexican-American War
Civil War
Spanish-American War
Answer: the Civil War
the War between the States
Answer: slavery
economic reasons
states' rights
Answer: freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
saved (or preserved) the Union
led the United States during the Civil War
Answer: freed the slaves
freed slaves in the Confederacy
freed slaves in the Confederate states
freed slaves in most Southern states
Answer: fought for women's rights
fought for civil rights
Answer: World War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
(Persian) Gulf War
Answer: (Woodrow) Wilson
Answer: (Franklin) Roosevelt
Answer: Japan, Germany, and Italy
Answer: World War II
Answer: Communism
Answer: civil rights (movement)
Answer: fought for civil rights
worked for equality for all Americans
Answer: Terrorists attacked the United States.
Answer: Cherokee
Navajo
Sioux
Chippewa
Choctaw
Pueblo
Apache
Iroquois
Creek
Blackfeet
Seminole
Cheyenne
Arawak
Shawnee
Mohegan
Huron
Oneida
Lakota
Crow
Teton
Hopi
Inuit
Answer: Missouri (River)
Mississippi (River)
Answer: Pacific (Ocean)
Answer: Atlantic (Ocean)
Answer: Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
American Samoa
Northern Mariana Islands
Guam
Answer: Maine
New Hampshire
Vermont
New York
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Michigan
Minnesota
North Dakota
Montana
Idaho
Washington
Alaska
Answer: California
Arizona
New Mexico
Texas
Answer: Washington, D.C.
Answer: New York (Harbor)
Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
Answer: because there were 13 original colonies
because the stripes represent the original colonies
Answer: because there is one star for each state
because each star represents a state
because there are 50 states
Answer: The Star-Spangled Banner
Answer: July 4
Answer: New Year's Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Presidents' Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving
Christmas
* If you are 65 years old or older and have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that have been marked with an asterisk.