Immigrants seeking to become United States citizens have to show a working knowledge of the nation’s history and how the federal government functions. And they don’t get multiple choices.
Could YOU pass even a dumbed-down citizenship test? Let’s find out!
1. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
a. July 4, 1775
b. Christmas, 1782
c. July 4, 1776
d. Oct. 19, 1781
2. What do the stripes on the U.S. flag stand for?
a. They hearken back to the British flag
b. The 13 original colonies
c. The blood shed in the American Revolution
d. No one knows for sure
3. How many amendments make up the Bill of Rights?
a. Five
b. Twenty
c. Thirteen
d. Ten
4. Name one right guaranteed by the First Amendment
a. The right to bear arms
b. Freedom of assembly
c. The right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
d. The right to privacy
5. How many members are there in the House of Representatives?
a. 435
b. 438
c. 450
d. It fluctuates
6. Which of these is NOT a requirement to be president of the United States?
a. Must be a natural-born citizen
b. Must be at least 35 years old
c. Must have lived at least 14 years in the U.S.
d. Must own property in the U.S.
7. How long do Senators serve?
a. Four years
b. Two years
c. Eight years
d. Six years
8. How many full terms can a president serve?
a. Two
b. Unlimited
c. Three
d. Four
9. Which branch of the federal government controls spending?
a. Executive
b. Legislative
c. Judiciary
d. The Internal Revenue Service
10. What are the first words of the preamble to the U.S. Constitution?
a. ”We hold these truths to be self-evident …”
b. ”Four score and seven years ago …”
c. ”We the people …”
d. ”When in the course of human events …”
Answers
1. c: The printed copies distributed to state delegations and others originally bore just two signatures: those of Congress President John Hancock and Secretary Charles Thomson. The parchment copy most Americans know and revere wasn’t engrossed until the following month, and some delegates never signed it.
2. b: The seven red stripes represent valor and “hardiness”; the six white stripes stand for purity and innocence.
3. d: James Madison, often called the “Father of the Constitution,” initially opposed having an addendum to the document. But some states held off ratification until a “bill of rights” was added.
4. b: Madison’s initial draft of the First Amendment did not include freedom of worship. It read: “The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.”
5. a: That number was first adopted in 1911. The House temporarily added two more seats following the admissions of Alaska and Hawaii as states in 1959.
6. d: Although George Washington was born in Virginia, the first president could have been foreign-born, so long as he was a U.S. citizen “at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution …” Martin van Buren was the first president born after the United States broke away from Britain.
7. d: The framers hoped that staggered terms would promote stability and prevent senators from combining for “sinister purposes.”
8. a: Before 1951 and the ratification of the 22nd Amendment, presidents could theoretically serve unlimited terms. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected four times but died in office, is the only chief executive to have served more than two terms.
9. b: Congress controls taxing and establishes an annual budget.
10. c: Those three words are the beginning of the preamble. That differs from the Articles of Confederation, adopted in November 1777, which focused on the sovereignty of the states.
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