US Citizenship Test
Name one branch or part of the government.
There are three branches of the federal government: Congress, the president, and the courts. Each branch has a special role. The Congress is called the legislative branch. Congress writes, debates, and makes laws. The president leads the executive branch. The president enforces the laws. The president also represents the United States to other countries. The courts are called the judicial branch. The courts explain laws. They decide if laws follow the Constitution. They also decide if people have broken laws.
What is the highest court in the United States?
Please select 2 correct answers
The Supreme Court is the highest court of the United States. The Supreme Court decides if a law goes against the Constitution. All other courts must follow the decisions of the Supreme Court. One example is the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in 1954. The case was about racial segregation in schools. Segregation was a system that separated people based on race and ethnic group. The Supreme Court decided that segregation in schools was against the Constitution. All states had to follow the Supreme Court decision. Segregation in school became illegal in the United States.
What are two Cabinet-level positions?
Cabinet-level positions include the secretary of state and the secretary of labor. The secretary of state works with other countries around the world. This person manages the president's foreign policies. The secretary of labor manages working conditions, wages, and unemployment benefits. The secretary of labor advises the president on employment issues.
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
The civil rights movement tried to end racial discrimination. Most African Americans in the United States were slaves until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Unfair treatment of African Americans continued into the 1900s. In many places, African Americans were not allowed to vote. They had to go to separate schools, and use separate public spaces. In the 1950s and 1960s, people of all races worked for equal rights for all Americans. People gave speeches. They organized peaceful marches and protests. They demanded that the government change its laws and protect the rights of all Americans.
What does the judicial branch do?
The judicial branch and explains laws. It resolves disagreements. It also , or is constitutional. The Supreme Court and all other federal courts are part of the judicial branch.
What is the capital of the United States?
Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States. In 1800, the federal government moved to Washington, D.C. D.C. stands for District of Columbia. Senators and representatives meet at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., to make laws. The president lives and works at the White House in Washington, D.C. Supreme Court judges make decisions at the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, during the Civil War. It said that slaves in the Southern states were free. Slaves could then join the United States Army. 185,000 African Americans fought in the Civil War. They fought for the Union and for freedom.
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
The United States flag has 50 stars because there is one star for each state. After independence from Great Britain, the United States had 13 states. Then, the United States grew. Many immigrants came from around the world. The country grew bigger. The borders expanded. New states formed. A star was added to the flag for each new state. Today we have 50 states, so the flag has 50 stars.
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States. They hijacked four American passenger airplanes. They used the planes as weapons. Two planes hit the World Trade Center in New York City. One plane hit the Pentagon, a government building in Virginia. The last plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The attacks killed almost 3,000 people. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States began the war on terrorism.
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
Citizens have to be 18 or older to vote for president. In 1971, Congress and the states added the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the Constitution. They added this amendment because young people demanded the right to vote. The amendment changed the minimum voting age in the United States to 18.
Name one state that borders Canada.
There are 13 states that border Canada: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Alaska. Canada is the country to the north of the United States. The U.S. border with Canada changed many times in American history. But it has not changed since 1846.
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
The two parts of the United States Congress are the Senate and the House of Representatives. Citizens from all over the United States are elected to the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are 100 members in the Senate. Every state elects two senators. Senators represent all the people in their state. They are elected for 6-year terms. The House of Representatives has 435 voting members. States with more people have more representatives in the House of Representatives. Representatives represent a district, or part, of each state. They are elected for 2-year terms.
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Susan B. Anthony was an important leader in the women's rights movement. She fought for women's rights and for civil rights. She gave speeches to support women's rights, especially the right to vote. In 1872, Susan B. Anthony tried to vote and had to go to jail. Susan B. Anthony died in 1906. Women still did not have the right to vote all over the United States. Other people fought for women's rights. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution. It gave women the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony is an important leader in American history.
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
The Constitution was written at the Constitutional Convention. In 1787, 55 representatives went to Philadelphia. They came from 12 of the 13 original states. They talked about how to design the government. They wrote the Constitution. After the Constitutional Convention, the states agreed to adopt the Constitution.
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
The system of checks and balances stops one branch of the federal government from becoming too powerful. The United States government is divided into three separate branches. They are the president, Congress, and the courts. Here is an example of how this works. Congress makes laws. But the president can veto a law. That means the president can refuse to sign it. The law is then sent back to Congress. This is one way the president limits, or checks, the power of Congress.
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
American Indians lived in America before the Europeans arrived. There were, and still are, many nations and tribes of American Indians. Each tribe has different religions, customs, and languages. Europeans arrived in America in the 1500s and later. Life changed for the American Indians who met the Europeans. Colonial settlers spread disease to American Indians. Settlers fought American Indians and took their land. American Indians reacted in different ways to the Europeans. Some American Indians helped them. Some tribes signed treaties that gave land to the Europeans. Other tribes fought against Europeans in wars over land. American Indians lived in America before the Europeans arrived.
What is an amendment?
An amendment is a change to the Constitution. The country grows and changes. Amendments to the Constitution allow the government to grow and change, too. For example, the Nineteeth Amendment gave women the right to vote. Many people, like Susan B. Anthony, fought for this right for many years. Today, women can vote because of this amendment.
Name one right only for United States citizens.
Only United States citizens can vote in federal elections and run for federal office. Citizens make laws through elected representatives. Many naturalized citizens have been elected as U.S. senators and U.S. representatives. However, naturalized citizens cannot run for president.
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
The First Amendment protects the right of speech, assembly, and press. It protects the right to petition the government and freedom of religion. Democracy works only if people can talk to each other and share their opinions. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects these rights.
Why did the colonists fight the British?
The colonists fought the British because they wanted to be free from Britain. They fought the British because of unfair taxes. They fought because they didn't have self-government. When the American colonies formed, they were part of Britain. Britain increased taxes for colonists on things they bought and used every day, like tea. Many colonists were angry because no one represented their needs in the British government. Colonists believed they did not have self-government. The British forced colonists to allow British soldiers to sleep and eat in their homes. The colonists joined together to fight Britain and gain independence.