CitizenshipBound

All 100 Civics Questions and Answers (2008 Test)

This is the complete official list for the 2008 civics test. It applies only if USCIS received your Form N-400 before October 20, 2025. If you filed on or after that date, study the 2025 test (128 questions) instead. On the 2008 test, the officer asks up to 10 questions, and you need 6 correct answers to pass. Under each official answer, a short explanation gives the background or a memory tip.

Practice these questions

American Government

Principles of American Democracy

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

Answer:

  • the Constitution

Why: The Constitution sits above every other law in the country. Its Supremacy Clause (Article VI) says federal and state laws must follow it, and courts can strike down laws that conflict with it.

2. What does the Constitution do?

Any one of:

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

Why: Written in 1787, the Constitution creates the three branches of government and spells out what each can do. Its amendments, starting with the Bill of Rights, protect individual rights. Any one of the three answers is enough.

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

Answer:

  • We the People

Why: The Constitution opens with "We the People of the United States." Those words say the government's power comes from the people, not from a king. That idea is called self-government, or popular sovereignty.

4. What is an amendment?

Any one of:

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

Why: An amendment formally changes or adds to the Constitution. It's hard on purpose: usually two-thirds of both houses of Congress must propose it, and three-fourths of the states must ratify it.

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

Answer:

  • the Bill of Rights

Why: The first ten amendments were ratified in 1791. Many people had refused to support the new Constitution unless it listed the rights the government could not take away, and the Bill of Rights was the answer.

6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? 65/20

Any one of:

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

Why: The First Amendment protects five freedoms: religion, speech, the press, assembly (gathering peacefully) and petitioning the government (asking it to fix a problem). Name any one.

7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

Answer:

  • twenty-seven (27)

Why: There are 27 amendments. Only 17 have been added since the Bill of Rights. The most recent, the 27th, was ratified in 1992 and deals with pay raises for members of Congress.

8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?

Any one of:

  • announced our independence (from Great Britain)
  • declared our independence (from Great Britain)
  • said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)

Why: Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration explained why the 13 colonies were breaking away from Great Britain. Don't mix it up with the Constitution: the Declaration announced independence, and the Constitution set up the government 11 years later.

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

Give any 2:

  • life
  • liberty
  • pursuit of happiness

Why: The Declaration says all people have "unalienable Rights," including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Unalienable means no government can take them away. Name two of the three.

10. What is freedom of religion?

Answer:

  • You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

Why: Under the First Amendment, the government can't set up an official religion or stop you from practicing yours. Freedom of religion also means the freedom to have no religion at all, which is why the answer has both parts.

11. What is the economic system in the United States? 65/20

Any one of:

  • capitalist economy
  • market economy

Why: In a market (capitalist) economy, most businesses are privately owned, and prices mostly come from supply and demand rather than from the government. Either answer is accepted.

12. What is the “rule of law”?

Any one of:

  • Everyone must follow the law.
  • Leaders must obey the law.
  • Government must obey the law.
  • No one is above the law.

Why: The rule of law means the same laws apply to everyone, including the President, members of Congress and police. No one is above the law. Any of the four phrasings is correct.

System of Government

13. Name one branch or part of the government. 65/20

Any one of:

  • Congress
  • legislative
  • President
  • executive
  • the courts
  • judicial

Why: The government has three branches: legislative (Congress makes laws), executive (the President carries them out) and judicial (the courts explain them). You can name either the branch or who leads it.

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

Any one of:

  • checks and balances
  • separation of powers

Why: Each branch can limit the others. The President can veto a bill, Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote, and the courts can strike down unconstitutional laws. That's checks and balances.

15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

Answer:

  • the President

Why: The President leads the executive branch, which carries out and enforces federal laws. The branch also includes the Vice President, the Cabinet and federal agencies.

16. Who makes federal laws?

Any one of:

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

Why: Congress makes federal laws. A bill has to pass both the Senate and the House in the same form, and then the President signs it or vetoes it.

17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? 65/20

Answer:

  • the Senate and House (of Representatives)

Why: Congress has two chambers. In the Senate every state is equal (2 senators each); in the House, seats depend on population. This split came from the "Great Compromise" of 1787 between large and small states.

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

Answer:

  • one hundred (100)

Why: Every state has 2 senators no matter its size, so 50 states times 2 equals 100. Remember 100 senators and 435 representatives as a pair.

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

Answer:

  • six (6)

Why: Senators serve 6-year terms. The terms are staggered, so only about one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years.

20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now? 65/20

Answers will vary. Depends on where you live. Find your state's answer.

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.

Why: The answer depends on where you live. Learn the names of both of your state's senators in case one changes. Residents of D.C. and U.S. territories should say they have no U.S. senators.

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

Answer:

  • four hundred thirty-five (435)

Why: The number of voting seats has been fixed at 435 by law since the early 1900s. The word "voting" matters: D.C. and the territories have delegates in the House who can't vote on final passage of bills.

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

Answer:

  • two (2)

Why: Representatives serve 2-year terms, so all 435 seats are up for election in every even-numbered year.

23. Name your U.S. Representative.

Answers will vary. Depends on where you live. Find your state's answer.

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.

Why: The answer depends on your congressional district. Use your full address to look it up, because district lines can split cities and change after each census. Territory residents may name their nonvoting delegate or say they have no voting representative.

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

Answer:

  • all people of the state

Why: A senator represents everyone in the whole state. A representative, by contrast, represents the people of one district.

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

Any one of:

  • (because of) the state’s population
  • (because) they have more people
  • (because) some states have more people

Why: House seats are divided among the states by population, which the census counts every 10 years. States that grow can gain seats, and states that shrink can lose them.

26. We elect a President for how many years?

Answer:

  • four (4)

Why: A presidential term is 4 years. Since the 22nd Amendment (1951), a President can be elected to only two terms.

27. In what month do we vote for President? 65/20

Answer:

  • November

Why: Presidential elections are held every four years on Election Day: the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

28. What is the name of the President of the United States now? 65/20

Any one of:

  • Donald J. Trump
  • Donald Trump
  • Trump

This answer changes with elections and appointments. Shown as of the USCIS update dated 2025-09-18. Confirm at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Why: This answer changes with elections, so always check the current name on the USCIS test updates page. Donald Trump took office as the 47th President on January 20, 2025.

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

Any one of:

  • JD Vance
  • Vance

This answer changes with elections and appointments. Shown as of the USCIS update dated 2025-09-18. Confirm at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Why: This answer changes with elections. JD Vance became Vice President on January 20, 2025. As with the President, give the name of whoever holds the office on the day of your interview.

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

Answer:

  • the Vice President

Why: The Vice President is first in line. It has happened nine times, most recently in 1974, when Gerald Ford became President after Richard Nixon resigned.

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

Answer:

  • the Speaker of the House

Why: Under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, the Speaker of the House is next after the Vice President, followed by the President pro tempore of the Senate and then members of the Cabinet.

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

Answer:

  • the President

Why: The Constitution (Article II) makes the President, an elected civilian, the Commander in Chief. This keeps the military under civilian control.

33. Who signs bills to become laws?

Answer:

  • the President

Why: After both houses of Congress pass a bill, it goes to the President. When the President signs it, it becomes law.

34. Who vetoes bills?

Answer:

  • the President

Why: The President can veto, or reject, a bill. Congress can still make it law by overriding the veto with a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.

35. What does the President’s Cabinet do?

Answer:

  • advises the President

Why: The Cabinet is made up of the Vice President and the heads of the executive departments, such as the Secretary of State. They advise the President and run their departments.

36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Give any 2:

  • 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

Why: The Cabinet-level list includes the heads of the 15 executive departments (the Attorney General heads the Justice Department) and the Vice President. Easy pair to remember: Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense.

37. What does the judicial branch do?

Any one of:

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

Why: The courts settle disputes and explain what laws mean. Since Marbury v. Madison (1803), they can also decide that a law goes against the Constitution. That power is called judicial review.

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

Answer:

  • the Supreme Court

Why: The Supreme Court is the highest court. Its decisions on federal law and the Constitution are final, and lower courts must follow them.

39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

Answer:

  • Nine (9)

This answer changes with elections and appointments. Shown as of the USCIS update dated 2025-09-18. Confirm at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Why: There have been nine justices since 1869. The Constitution doesn't set the number; Congress does. That's why USCIS lists this answer on its "check for updates" page.

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

Any one of:

  • John Roberts
  • John G. Roberts, Jr.
  • Roberts

This answer changes with elections and appointments. Shown as of the USCIS update dated 2025-09-18. Confirm at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Why: John Roberts has been Chief Justice of the United States since 2005. He's the 17th person to hold the office. Check the USCIS test updates page before your interview in case it changes.

41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

Any one of:

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

Why: The Constitution gives some powers only to the federal government, such as printing money, declaring war, raising an army and making treaties. States can't do these things on their own.

42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

Any one of:

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

Why: The 10th Amendment leaves powers not given to the federal government to the states or the people. That's why schools, police, driver's licenses and zoning are mostly run by states and local governments.

43. Who is the Governor of your state now?

Answers will vary. Depends on where you live. Find your state's answer.

District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a Governor.

Why: The answer depends on where you live. Governors are elected by each state, usually for 4-year terms. D.C. residents should say D.C. doesn't have a governor.

44. What is the capital of your state? 65/20

Answers will vary. Depends on where you live. Find your state's answer.

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.

Why: Know your state's capital, which is often not its biggest city: Sacramento in California, Albany in New York, Austin in Texas, Tallahassee in Florida. D.C. residents should say D.C. isn't a state and has no capital; territory residents name the territory's capital.

45. What are the two major political parties in the United States? 65/20

Answer:

  • Democratic and Republican

Why: The Democratic and Republican parties have been the two major parties since the 1850s. You need to name both.

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

Answer:

  • Republican (Party)

This answer changes with elections and appointments. Shown as of the USCIS update dated 2025-09-18. Confirm at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Why: This answer depends on who is President. President Donald Trump is a Republican. If the President changes, the answer may too, so check the USCIS test updates page.

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

Any one of:

  • Mike Johnson
  • Johnson
  • James Michael Johnson

This answer changes with elections and appointments. Shown as of the USCIS update dated 2025-09-18. Confirm at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Why: Mike Johnson has been Speaker of the House since October 2023. The Speaker is chosen by the members of the House and can change, so check the USCIS test updates page before your interview.

Rights and Responsibilities

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

Any one of:

  • 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).

Why: The four voting amendments: the 15th (1870) bans denying the vote because of race, the 19th (1920) gives women the vote, the 24th (1964) bans poll taxes in federal elections, and the 26th (1971) lowers the voting age to 18. Describe any one.

49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? 65/20

Any one of:

  • serve on a jury
  • vote in a federal election

Why: Only citizens can serve on a jury and vote in federal elections. The question asks for a responsibility, and these are duties as well as rights.

50. Name one right only for United States citizens.

Any one of:

  • vote in a federal election
  • run for federal office

Why: Only citizens can vote in federal elections or run for federal office. Voting in a federal election before you're a citizen is a crime and can make you ineligible to naturalize.

51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

Give any 2:

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

Why: Most Bill of Rights protections apply to everyone living in the United States, not only to citizens. Name any two from the list, such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

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

Any one of:

  • the United States
  • the flag

Why: The Pledge begins "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands." So you're showing loyalty to both the country and the flag.

53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

Any one of:

  • 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

Why: These promises come from the Oath of Allegiance you take at your naturalization ceremony, the moment you become a citizen. Any one of them is accepted.

54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? 65/20

Answer:

  • eighteen (18) and older

Why: The 26th Amendment set the voting age at 18 in 1971. Before that, most states required voters to be 21.

55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

Give any 2:

  • 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

Why: Democracy works when people take part. Voting is the most common way, but contacting officials, joining a campaign or running for office all count. Name two.

56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? 65/20

Answer:

  • April 15

Why: Federal income tax returns are usually due April 15. If that date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day, but April 15 is the answer to give.

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

Any one of:

  • at age eighteen (18)
  • between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)

Why: Almost all men ages 18 through 25 who live in the United States, including most immigrant men, must register with Selective Service. Form N-400 asks about it, so know whether you registered.

American History

Colonial Period and Independence

58. What is one reason colonists came to America?

Any one of:

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

Why: People came for many reasons. Pilgrims and Puritans wanted religious freedom, and many others came for land, jobs or political liberty. Any one reason on the list is accepted.

59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

Any one of:

  • American Indians
  • Native Americans

Why: American Indians (Native Americans) had lived across North America for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Either name is accepted.

60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

Any one of:

  • Africans
  • people from Africa

Why: Millions of Africans were captured and brought to the Americas by force and sold as slaves. Slavery in the United States ended in 1865 with the 13th Amendment.

61. Why did the colonists fight the British?

Any one of:

  • because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
  • because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
  • because they didn’t have self-government

Why: Colonists objected to taxes passed by a British Parliament where they had no vote ("taxation without representation"), to being forced to house British soldiers, and to having no self-government. Name one.

62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Answer:

  • (Thomas) Jefferson

Why: Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration in 1776, when he was 33. He later became the third President.

63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

Answer:

  • July 4, 1776

Why: The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776. That's why Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4.

64. There were 13 original states. Name three.

Give any 3:

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

Why: The 13 original states were the 13 British colonies on the Atlantic coast. A common mistake is naming Maine or Vermont, which became states later. Easy picks: New York, New Jersey and Virginia.

65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

Any one of:

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

Why: Delegates met in Philadelphia from May to September 1787. They had been sent to fix the weak Articles of Confederation, and instead they wrote a new Constitution.

66. When was the Constitution written?

Answer:

  • 1787

Why: The Constitution was written in 1787 and signed on September 17, 1787, now celebrated as Constitution Day. It took effect after enough states ratified it in 1788.

67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

Any one of:

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

Why: The Federalist Papers were 85 essays written in 1787 and 1788 to convince New Yorkers to approve the Constitution. They were published under the shared pen name "Publius," which is also an accepted answer.

68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

Any one of:

  • 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

Why: Franklin was a printer, inventor and diplomat. He won French support during the Revolution, was the first Postmaster General, and was 81 at the Constitutional Convention, its oldest delegate. Any one fact on the list works.

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

Answer:

  • (George) Washington

Why: George Washington led the Continental Army to victory in the Revolution and then became the first President. That's why he's called the "Father of Our Country."

70. Who was the first President? 65/20

Answer:

  • (George) Washington

Why: George Washington served as President from 1789 to 1797. He stepped down after two terms, a tradition that later became law with the 22nd Amendment.

1800s

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

Any one of:

  • the Louisiana Territory
  • Louisiana

Why: In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million. It roughly doubled the size of the United States.

72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.

Any one of:

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

Why: Wars of the 1800s: the War of 1812 (against Britain), the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), the Civil War (1861–1865) and the Spanish-American War (1898). The Revolutionary War was in the 1700s, so it isn't accepted.

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

Any one of:

  • the Civil War
  • the War between the States

Why: The Civil War (1861–1865) was fought between the Union (the North) and the Confederacy (11 Southern states that tried to leave the country).

74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

Any one of:

  • slavery
  • economic reasons
  • states’ rights

Why: Slavery was the central issue, along with economic differences between North and South and arguments over states' rights. Any one of the three is accepted.

75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? 65/20

Any one of:

  • freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
  • saved (or preserved) the Union
  • led the United States during the Civil War

Why: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, led the country through the Civil War, kept the Union together and issued the Emancipation Proclamation. He was assassinated in April 1865.

76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Any one of:

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

Why: Issued on January 1, 1863, it declared enslaved people free in the Confederate states that were in rebellion. Slavery ended everywhere in the United States with the 13th Amendment in 1865.

77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?

Any one of:

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

Why: Susan B. Anthony was a leader of the movement for women's right to vote. She was arrested for voting in 1872. Women won the vote with the 19th Amendment in 1920, 14 years after her death.

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information

78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. 65/20

Any one of:

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

Why: Wars of the 1900s: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War. Name one.

79. Who was President during World War I?

Answer:

  • (Woodrow) Wilson

Why: Woodrow Wilson was President when the United States entered World War I in 1917.

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

Answer:

  • (Franklin) Roosevelt

Why: Franklin D. Roosevelt was President from 1933 to 1945. He led the country through the Great Depression with his New Deal and through most of World War II. He's the only President elected four times.

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

Answer:

  • Japan, Germany, and Italy

Why: Japan, Germany and Italy were the Axis powers. The United States entered the war after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The official answer names all three, so learn them together.

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

Answer:

  • World War II

Why: Dwight D. Eisenhower commanded the Allied forces in Europe in World War II, including the D-Day invasion in 1944. He later became the 34th President.

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

Answer:

  • Communism

Why: During the Cold War, from the late 1940s to 1991, the United States and the Soviet Union were rivals. The main U.S. concern was stopping the spread of communism.

84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

Answer:

  • civil rights (movement)

Why: The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s fought to end racial discrimination and segregation. It led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do? 65/20

Any one of:

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

Why: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led nonviolent protests for equal rights, including the Montgomery bus boycott, and gave the "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal holiday.

86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

Answer:

  • Terrorists attacked the United States.

Why: On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four planes. They hit the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed.

87. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

Any one of:

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

USCIS Officers will be supplied with a list of federally recognized American Indian tribes.

Why: There are hundreds of American Indian tribes. Name any one from the list, such as Cherokee, Navajo or Sioux. The officer has the full list of accepted answers.

Integrated Civics

Geography

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

Any one of:

  • Missouri (River)
  • Mississippi (River)

Why: The Missouri and the Mississippi are the two longest rivers. The Missouri flows into the Mississippi just north of St. Louis.

89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

Answer:

  • Pacific (Ocean)

Why: The Pacific Ocean is on the West Coast, touching California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii.

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

Answer:

  • Atlantic (Ocean)

Why: The Atlantic Ocean is on the East Coast. All 13 original colonies were on the Atlantic.

91. Name one U.S. territory.

Any one of:

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

Why: Name any of the five: Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands or American Samoa. Washington, D.C. isn't a territory; it's a federal district.

92. Name one state that borders Canada.

Any one of:

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

Why: Thirteen states border Canada, and Alaska has the longest border. Easy answers: New York, Michigan or Washington (the state, not Washington, D.C.).

93. Name one state that borders Mexico.

Any one of:

  • California
  • Arizona
  • New Mexico
  • Texas

Why: Only four states border Mexico: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Texas has the longest stretch of the border.

94. What is the capital of the United States? 65/20

Answer:

  • Washington, D.C.

Why: Washington, D.C. (the District of Columbia) has been the capital since 1800. It isn't part of any state. Don't confuse it with Washington State in the Northwest.

95. Where is the Statue of Liberty? 65/20

Any one of:

  • New York (Harbor)
  • Liberty Island

Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).

Why: The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France dedicated in 1886, stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The official list also accepts New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson River.

Symbols

96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Any one of:

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

Why: The flag has 13 stripes, 7 red and 6 white, for the 13 original colonies.

97. Why does the flag have 50 stars? 65/20

Any one of:

  • because there is one star for each state
  • because each star represents a state
  • because there are 50 states

Why: There is one star for each state. The current 50-star flag has been used since July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became a state.

98. What is the name of the national anthem?

Answer:

  • The Star-Spangled Banner

Why: Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 1814 after watching the British attack Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. It became the national anthem in 1931.

Holidays

99. When do we celebrate Independence Day? 65/20

Answer:

  • July 4

Why: Independence Day is July 4, the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776.

100. Name two national U.S. holidays.

Give any 2:

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

Why: There are 11 federal holidays. Juneteenth (June 19), the newest, was added in 2021. Name any two from the list, for example Independence Day and Thanksgiving.

Questions and answers: USCIS, 2008 Civics Test (100 questions) (public domain). Explanations and study tips are written by CitizenshipBound. CitizenshipBound is not affiliated with USCIS.