Could You Pass the U.S. Citizenship Test? Try the Easy Questions First

Immigration, birthright citizenship, deportation – these are all hot topics now that President Donald Trump has taken office and begun sweeping immigration executive actions. It got us thinking: Just how difficult is it to become a U.S. citizen?
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has plenty of online documents that walk interested individuals through the process.
The first step? Determine if you are already a U.S. citizen. (Apparently, some people may not know.) Were you born in the United States? Was at least one of your parents a U.S. citizen before you turned 18? Are you at least 18 years old and have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years (or 3 years if you are married to a U.S. citizen) and meet all other eligibility requirements? There’re definitely some complexities in determining this (and will continue to be with the new executive actions being taken).
The process involves applications to complete, passports to be submitted, fees to be paid, potential biometrics appointments to be made. Plus, the USCIS requires applicants to be fingerprinted and photographed for FBI criminal background checks, as well as participate in naturalization interviews. Then, they must pass an English and Civics test.
One of many steps to become a U.S. citizen is passing this civics test.
The civics test is an oral test given by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers, where an applicant needs to answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass. The questions come from a list of 100 (made public so applicants can study ahead) that are grouped into subject areas: principles of American Democracy (What is freedom of religion?), system of government (Name one branch of the U.S. government), rights and responsibilities (What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?), American history and other important historical information (Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?), integrated civics (like Geography), symbols (mainly about the flag) and holidays (that’s the easiest, at least for some). If you don’t pass, you can come back in 60 to 90 days for a retest.
How many of these questions do current U.S. citizens even know?
In order to pass, you best be sure that you know the current president and vice president, along with your state’s governor and U.S. senators, as well as some general American history (including what territory the United States bought from France in 1803).
What else do aspiring citizens need to know? We’ve gathered some of the easier questions so you can get a warmup. How many of these questions would you get correct?

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EASY QUESTIONS
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When do we celebrate Independence Day?
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Why does the flag have 50 stars?
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Name one state that borders Mexico.
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There were 13 original states. Name three.
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How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
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What is the highest court in the United States?
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We elect a President for how many years?
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Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Hopefully, you whizzed through those questions. If not, we suggest you go back and take a civics test or download the questions yourself and take a fresh read. Let’s move on to the next round and see how you do.
INTERMEDIATE QUESTIONS
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How many amendments does the Constitution have?
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What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
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If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
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There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
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What are two rights of everyone in the United States?
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Name one U.S. territory.
Take a look at the answers below and see how you did. It’s a good refresher for everyone.
THE ANSWERS
Easy Questions:
- July 4
- Multiple answers would work: One star for each state, there are 50 states, each star represents a state.
- California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas
- New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
- 18
- Supreme Court
- 4
- Thomas Jefferson
Intermediate Questions:
- 27 (as of Jan. 22, 2025)
- Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness
- The Speaker of the House
- Print money, declare war, create an army, make treaties
- Provide schooling, provide protection (police), provide safety (fire departments), give a driver’s license, and approve zoning and land use
- Citizens 18 and older can vote. You don’t have to pay a tax to vote. Any citizen (women and men) can vote. A male citizen of any race can vote.
- Freedom of expression, speech, assembly and religion, freedom to petition the government, and the right to bear arms
- Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam