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* 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.
www.uscis.gov
(rev. 0/09)
Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test
The 00 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 0 questions correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test.
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.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
A: Principles of American Democracy
1. What is the supreme law of the land?
▪ the Constitution
2. What does the Constitution do?
▪ 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?
▪ We the People
4. What is an amendment?
▪ a change (to the Constitution)
▪ an addition (to the Constitution)
5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
▪ the Bill of Rights
6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*
▪ speech
▪ religion
▪ assembly
▪ press
▪ petition the government
7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
▪ twenty-seven (27)
8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
▪ announced our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ declared our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
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* 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.
www