Questions

Did you know? Among other things, immigrants applying for US citizenship must pass a test on US history and civics. The questions are drawn from a list of 100 created by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The actual civics test is NOT a multiple choice test. The civics test is an oral test where the USCIS Officer will ask the applicant 10 of the 100 civics questions.  An applicant must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass.

This week, in place of our Friday’s News Quiz, try a sample quiz:
(from USCIS.gov – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)

1. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
a) nine (9)
b) eleven (11)
c) twelve (12)
d) ten (10)

2. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
a) Canadians
b) Floridians
c) no one
d) American Indians

3. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
a) the Bill of Rights
b) the inalienable rights
c) the Articles of Confederation
d) the Declaration of Independence

4. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
a) coin or print money
b) create an army
c) make treaties
d) provide schooling and education

5. What did Susan B. Anthony do?
a) fought for women’s rights
b) the first woman elected to the House of Representatives
c) made the first flag of the United States
d) founded the Red Cross

6. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
a) The Virginia Declaration of Rights was written.
b) The Constitution was written.
c) The Declaration of Independence was written.
d) The Emancipation Proclamation was written.

7. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
a) freedom to petition the government and freedom to disobey traffic laws
b) freedom of speech and freedom of worship
c) freedom of worship and freedom to make treaties with other countries
d) freedom of speech and freedom to run for president

8. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
a) Arctic Ocean
b) Indian Ocean
c) Pacific Ocean
d) Atlantic Ocean

9. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
a) Celts
b) Punjabi
c) Cherokee
d) Slavs

10. Name one branch or part of the government.
a) legislative
b) parliament
c) United Nations
d) state government

11. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
a) the state legislatures
b) all people of the state
c) only the people in the state who voted for the Senator
d) all people of the state who belong to the Senator’s political party

12. Who vetoes bills?
a) the Speaker of the House
b) the Vice President
c) the President Pro Tempore
d) the President

13. What are the two major political parties in the United States?
a) Reform and Green
b) Progressive and Liberal
c) Democratic and Republican
d) Conservative and Liberal

14.What is freedom of religion?
a) You must choose a religion.
b) No one can practice a religion.
c) You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
d) You can’t choose the time you practice your religion.

15. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
a) George Washington
b) James Madison
c) Thomas Jefferson
d) John Adams

16. What are two Cabinet-level positions?
a) Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of History
b) Secretary of Health and Human Services and Secretary of the Navy
c) Secretary of Technology and Secretary of Energy
d) Secretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of the Treasury

17. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
a) the Revolutionary War
b) the War of 1812
c) World War I
d) the Civil War

18. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
a) thirty-five (35) and older
b) twenty-one (21) and older
c) sixteen (16) and older
d) eighteen (18) and older

19. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
a) the President Pro Tempore
b) the Secretary of State
c) the Speaker of the House
d) the Vice President

20. What is the capital of the United States?
a) Philadelphia, PA
b) Washington, D.C.
c) New York, NY
d) Boston, MA

21. Name one state that borders Mexico.
a) Alabama
b) California
c) Arkansas
d) Florida

22. Who is in charge of the executive branch?
a) the Prime Minister
b) the Speaker of the House
c) the Chief Justice
d) the President

23. What is the name of the national anthem?
a) God Bless the U.S.A.
b) My Country Tis of Thee
c) America the Beautiful
d) The Star-Spangled Banner

24. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
a) Herbert Hoover
b) Franklin Roosevelt
c) Harry Truman
d) Calvin Coolidge

25. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
a) to make treaties
b) to issue driver’s licenses
c) to provide schooling
d) to provide police departments