US Citizenship Test Questions and Answers – A Guide

A naturalization applicant’s comprehension of U.S. government, history, and geography is evaluated by the U.S. citizenship test. During the U.S. citizenship interview, the examination is administered verbally.

The citizenship examination comprises one hundred inquiries. The immigration officer will ask the applicant 10 questions out of the 100 during the interview. In order to pass the civics test, the applicant must answer six of the questions accurately.

Boundless flashcards:

Are you prepared to commence your studies? Boundless has developed flashcards that are available for download and contain all 100 queries and their respective responses. Best of success!

The following is a comprehensive list of all 100 questions and their respective responses for the civics test.

The topics are categorized as follows:

• American Government
• American History
• Integrated Civics

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Boundless tip:

If you are 65 years of age or older and have held a green card for 20 years or more, you are only required to review the questions that are marked with an asterisk.

Check Also: U.S. Birthright Citizenship Explained – Rights and Eligibility

American Government:

A: Principles of American Democracy

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

Correct answer: The Constitution

Explanation: The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. It is the world’s earliest written Constitution.

2. What does the Constitution do?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

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

Correct answer: We the People

Explanation: The initial three terms are inclusive of all American citizens and underscore the fact that the U.S. government is governed by the people.

4. What is an amendment?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

Explanation: The U.S. Constitution is a living document, which implies that it is subject to modification or addition. The Constitution has undergone 27 amendments.

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

Correct answer: The Bill of Rights

Explanation: On December 15, 1791, the Constitution’s initial ten amendments were ratified. It is referred to as the Bill of liberties and outlines the liberties of the people in relation to the U.S. government.

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• speech
• religion
• assembly
• press
• petition the government

Explanation: The First Amendment safeguards the rights to nonviolent protest, petition the government, and freedom of expression.

7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

Correct answer: 27

Explanation: The U.S. Constitution has undergone 27 amendments since 1789.

8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?

Correct answers (choose one):

• declared our independence from the United Kingdom
• declared our independence from the United Kingdom
• declared that the United States is independent of Great Britain

Explanation: The Declaration of Independence, which was adopted on July 4, 1776, signified the United States’ separation from Great Britain.

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

Correct answers (choose two):

• life
• liberty
• pursuit of happiness

Explanation: The Declaration of Independence asserts that all individuals are born with inherent equality and that they are entitled to three fundamental rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

10. What is freedom of religion?

Correct answer: You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

Explanation: The First Amendment guarantees that every individual in the United States has the freedom to determine their religious affiliation, which includes the right to alter their religion at any given moment.

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• capitalist economy
• market economy

Explanation: Capitalism is an economic system in which the majority of enterprises are owned by private individuals, rather than the government, and profit is generated.

12. What is the “rule of law”?

Correct answers (choose one):

• Everyone is required to adhere to the law.
• It is imperative that leaders adhere to the law.
• Government is required to adhere to the law.
• No individual is exempt from the law.

Explanation: The U.S. Constitution is founded on the principle of the rule of law.

B: System of Government:

13. Name one branch or part of the government*

Correct answers (choose one):

• Congress
• legislative
• President
• Executive
• the courts
• judicial

Explanation: In order to guarantee the separation of powers, the United States government is divided into three distinct branches. The country is governed by the collaboration of the three branches.

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• checks and balances
• separation of powers

Explanation: Checks and balances guarantee that no single branch of the United States government acquires an excessive amount of authority.

15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

Correct answer: The President

Explanation: The executive branch, which is responsible for enforcing the nation’s laws, is under the supervision of the President of the United States.

16. Who makes federal laws?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

Explanation: Congress is the sole branch of government that has the authority to enact new laws or modify existing ones.

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

Correct answer: The Senate and House of Representatives

Explanation: The Senate and House of Representatives are the two branches of the U.S. government that are responsible for enacting laws.

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

Correct Answer: 100

Explanation: Two senators are elected by each of the 50 states in the United States to represent them in the Senate. This does not include the federal capital city of D.C., which is officially known as the District of Columbia, as well as territories such as American Samoa and Puerto Rico. A total of 100 U.S. senators = fifty states with two senators each.

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

Correct answer: 6

Explanation: The term of office for a U.S. senator is six years, and every two years, one-third of the Senate is up for reelection.

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

Correct answer: The response will be contingent upon the applicant’s residence. Note: Residents of the District of Columbia and those residing in U.S. territories should indicate that the territory in which they reside does not have any senators.

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

Correct answer: 435

Explanation: The population of all 50 states is proportionally represented by the 435 members of the House of Representatives.

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

Correct answer: 2

Explanation: All members of the United States House of Representatives are elected for a two-year term and are eligible to seek reelection every other year.

23. Name your U.S. Representative

Correct answer: The response will be contingent upon the applicant’s residence. Note: Residents of the District of Columbia and those residing in U.S. territories should indicate that there are no House representatives in D.C. (or the territory in which they reside).

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

Correct answer: All people of the state

Explanation: The inhabitants of each state are represented by two senators.

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• due to the population of the jurisdiction
• due to their increased population
• due to the fact that certain regions have a higher population

Explanation: The population of a state determines the number of representatives it has. States with a higher population will have more representatives.

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26. We elect a President for how many years?

Correct answer: 4

Explanation: The presidential elections are conducted every four years, and a president is permitted to serve a maximum of two mandates.

27. In what month do we vote for President?*

Correct answer: November

Explanation: The presidential elections are held on the first Tuesday in November every four years.

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

Correct answer: Go to uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates to learn the name of the current U.S. president.

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

Correct answer: Go to uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates to learn the name of the current U.S. vice president.

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

Correct answer: The vice president

Explanation: The U.S. vice president is the chief of the Senate and will assume the role of president in the event of the president’s death or resignation.

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

Correct answer: The Speaker of the House

Explanation: In the event that neither the president nor the vice president is able to serve, the Speaker of the House is the next in line.

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

Correct answer: The president

Explanation: The president is not only the Chief Executive but also the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy.

33. Who signs bills to become laws?

Correct answer: The president

Explanation: The President signs a measure into law after it has been passed by Congress.

34. Who vetoes bills?

Correct answer: The president

Explanation: The president is the sole individual who has the authority to veto a law, which means that they can prevent it from being implemented.

35. What does the President’s Cabinet do?

Correct answer: Advises the president

Explanation: The vice president and the leaders of the 15 executive departments comprise the president’s cabinet.

36. Name two Cabinet-level positions

Correct answers (choose two):

• 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

37. What does the judicial branch do?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

Explanation: The judicial branch is a justice system that comprises various courts, including the Supreme, Circuit, magistrate, and municipal courts.

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

Correct answer: The Supreme Court

Explanation: The Supreme Court determines whether or not laws are consistent with the U.S. Constitution.

39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

Correct answer: Go to uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates to learn the number of justices on the Supreme Court.

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

Correct answer: Go to uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates to learn the name of the Chief Justice of the United States.

41. Name one power of the federal government?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

42. Name one power of the states

Correct answers (choose one):

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

43. Who is the Governor of your state now?

Correct answer: Depending on the applicant’s residence, the response will differ (D.C. inhabitants should respond that the city does not have a governor).

44. What is the capital of your state?*

Correct answer: The response will differ depending on the applicant’s residence (D.C. residents should respond that the city does not have a capital, as it is not a state). The capital of a U.S. territory must be designated by its residents.

45. Name two major political parties in the United States?*

Correct answer: Democratic and Republican

Explanation: American politics is primarily influenced by two significant political parties. The Democratic party has historically been associated with a more liberal ideology, whereas the Republican party has been associated with a more reactionary ideology.

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

Correct answer: Go to uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates to learn the political party of the current president.

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

Correct answer: Go to uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates to learn the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

C: Rights and Responsibilities

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• Voters must be 18 years of age or older.
• You are not required to pay a poll tax in order to vote.
• Any citizen is eligible to vote.
• A male citizen of any ethnicity is eligible to vote.

Explanation: The 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments relate to the ability to vote.

49. Name one responsibility that is only for US citizens*

Correct answers (choose one):

• serve on a jury
• vote in a federal election

Explanation: Check out the Boundless guide on the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens.

50. Name one right only for United States citizens

Correct answers (choose one):

• vote in a federal election
• run for federal office

Explanation: Check out the Boundless guide on the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens.

51. Name two rights of everyone living in the U.S.

Correct answers (choose one):

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

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

Correct answers:

• the United States
• the flag

Explanation: The Pledge of Allegiance is a pledge of allegiance to the United States. The Pledge of Allegiance is recited by new citizens at the conclusion of the Oath of Allegiance ceremony.

53. Name one promise you make when you become a U.s.citizen

• relinquish allegiance to other nations
• uphold the laws and Constitution of the United States
• abide by the statutes of the United States
• participate in the United States military (if required)
• serve the nation (if necessary) by performing significant tasks
• demonstrate loyalty to the United States

Explanation: Check out the Boundless guide on the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens.

54. What age do citizens have to be to vote for president?*

Correct answer: 18 and older

55. Name two ways that u.s. citizens can participate in their democracy

Correct answers (choose two):

• 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

56. What date is the last day you can submit federal income tax forms?*

Correct answer: The date is typically on or around April 15

Explanation: Learn more about the basics of filing taxes as an immigrant.

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• At 18
• Between 18 and 26

Explanation: Within 30 days of their 18th birthday, nearly all men who are U.S. citizens or permanently residing in the United States are required to register for the Selective Service. The Selective Service permits late registrations for males until they reach the age of 26.

American History:

A: Colonial Period and Independence

58. Name one reason colonists came to America?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

Explanation: The English settlers arrived in America for a variety of reasons, and they hailed from a variety of backgrounds and religions.

59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

Correct answers (choose one):

• American Indians
• Native Americans

Explanation: Native Americans resided in tribes throughout the continent prior to the arrival of British settlers.

60. Which group of people was taken to the u.s. and sold as slaves?

Correct answers (choose one):

• Africans
• people from Africa

Explanation: The first African slaves are believed to have arrived in Virginia by sea in 1619, although some sources suggest that they arrived earlier from Africa.

61. Why did the colonists fight the British?

Correct answers (choose one):

• as a result of the excessive taxes (taxation without representation)
• due to the British army’s decision to remain in their residences
• due to their lack of self-government

Explanation: The United States’ independence from Britain was the result of the American Revolutionary War, which lasted from 1775 to 1783.

62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Correct answer: Thomas Jefferson

Explanation: The Declaration of Independence, which was the formal statement declaring the United States as an independent nation from Britain, was drafted by Thomas Jefferson.

63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

Correct answer: July 4, 1776

Explanation: The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Independence Day is now observed annually on July 4th in the United States.

64. Name three of the 13 original states

Correct answers (choose three):

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

65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

Explanation: From May 14 to September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia with the objective of reforming the government.

66. When was the Constitution written?

Correct answer: 1787

Explanation: The Constitution was composed during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

67. Name one of the writers of the Federalist Papers

Correct answers (name one):

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

Explanation: The Federalist Papers were a collection of 85 essays that advocated for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

68. Name one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

Correct answers (name one):

• U.S. diplomat
• the eldest member of the Constitutional Convention
• the initial Postmaster General of the United States
• author of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”
• started the first free libraries

69. Who is considered the “Father of Our Country”?

Correct answer: (George) Washington

Explanation: George Washington served as the first president of the United States, presided over the Constitutional Convention, and was the commander of the army during the American Revolution.

70. Who was the first president?*

Correct answer: (George) Washington

Explanation: George Washington was president of the United States from 1789-1797.

B: 1800s

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• the Louisiana Territory
• Louisiana

Explanation: The United States acquired the 828,000 square miles of land for $15 million from France, a transaction that is commonly referred to as the Louisiana Purchase.

72. Name one war fought by the U.s. in the 1800s

Correct answers (choose one):

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

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• the Civil War
• the War between the States

Explanation: The Union Army and the Confederate States of America engaged in the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865.

74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War

Correct answers (choose one):

• slavery
• economic reasons
• states’ rights

75. Name one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*

Correct answers (choose one):

• freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
• saved (or preserved) the Union
• led the U.S. during the Civil War

Explanation: Abraham Lincoln was the president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865.

76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

Explanation: The Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued by President Abraham Lincoln, was implemented on January 1, 1863.

77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?

Correct answers (choose one):

• fought for women’s rights
• fought for civil rights

Explanation: Susan B. Anthony was a pioneer of the women’s suffrage movement and a legendary women’s rights activist.

C: Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information

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

Correct answers (choose one):

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

79. Who was President during World War I?

Correct answer: (Woodrow) Wilson

Explanation: Woodrow Wilson was the 28th U.S. president from 1913-1921.

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

Correct answer: (Franklin) Roosevelt

Explanation: Franklin D. Roosevelt, colloquially known as FDR, was the president from 1933 to 1945.

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

Correct answer: Japan, Germany, and Italy

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

Correct answer: World War II

Explanation: Dwight Eisenhower served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953-1961.

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

Correct answer: Communism

Explanation: The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in an ideological conflict known as the Cold War.

84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

Correct answer: Civil rights (movement)

Explanation: During the 1950s and 1960s, the American civil rights movement demanded the cessation of racial segregation and discrimination.

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• fought for civil rights
• worked for equality for all Americans

Explanation: Martin Luther King Jr. was a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and a prominent civil rights activist.

86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the U.s.?

Correct answer: Terrorists attacked the United States.

Explanation: Al Qaeda, a Muslim extremist organization, perpetrated a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks on September 11, also known as 9/11.

87. Name one Native American tribe in the United States

Correct answers (choose one):

• Cherokee
• Navajo
• Sioux
• Chippewa
• Choctaw
• Pueblo
• Apache
• Iroquois
• Creek
• Blackfeet
• Seminole
• Cheyenne
• Arawak
• Shawnee
• Mohegan
• Huron
• Oneida
• Lakota
• Crow
• Teton
• Hopi
• Inuit

Explanation: Currently, the United States is home to 574 federally recognized tribes.

Integrated Civics

A: Geography

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

Correct answers (choose one):

• Missouri (River)
• Mississippi (River)

89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the U.s.?

Correct answer: Pacific Ocean

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

Correct answer: Atlantic Ocean

91. Name one U.S. territory

Correct answers (choose one):

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

Explanation: The United States controls and owns five main territories.

92. Name one state that borders Canada

Correct answers (choose one):

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

93. Name one state that borders Mexico

Correct answers (choose one):

• California
• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Texas

94. What is the capital of the United States?*

Correct answer: Washington, D.C.

Explanation: The White House and the Capitol are situated in Washington D.C., which is officially known as the District of Columbia.

95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?*

Correct answers (choose one):

• New York Harbor
• Liberty Island
• New Jersey,
• Near New York City
• On the Hudson River

Explanation: France donated the Statue of Liberty to New York City, where it is situated on Liberty Island, in honor of the two nations’ friendship. It has evolved into a representation of justice and liberty.

B: Symbols

96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Correct answers (choose one):

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

97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?*

Correct answers (choose one):

• due to the fact that each state is represented by a single star
• due to the fact that each star symbolizes a territory
• due to the existence of fifty states

98. What is the name of the national anthem?

Correct answer: The Star-Spangled Banner

Explanation: During the War of 1812, an amateur poet named Francis Scott Key was inspired to write what became the Star-Spangled Banner after witnessing an American Flag flying over Fort McHenry in Baltimore.

C: Holidays

99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?*

Correct answer: July 4

Explanation: On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring the United States as a separate country to Britain. The U.S. now celebrates Independence Day every July 4th.

100. Name two national U.S. holidays

Correct answers (choose two):

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

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