Who lived in America before Europeans arrived?: Native American peoples
Name one reason colonists came to America.: Freedom, religious freedom, economic opportunity, or to escape persecution
Who was brought to America by force from Africa?: Enslaved Africans
Who fought for American independence from Britain?: Colonists, called Patriots, led by the Continental Army
Why did colonists fight the British?: High taxes without representation, and no say in laws
What was the main purpose of the Declaration of Independence?: To tell the world why the colonies were separating from Britain
Who was the first president?: George Washington
Who commanded the Continental Army?: George Washington
What did Benjamin Franklin invent or do?: Invented bifocals and the lightning rod, was a diplomat, and helped write founding documents
Who is called the Father of Our Country?: George Washington
What was the Constitutional Convention?: The 1787 meeting where the Constitution was written
Why were the Federalist Papers written?: To persuade states to ratify the Constitution
Name one author of the Federalist Papers.: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison or John Jay
What territory did the US buy from France in 1803?: The Louisiana Territory
Name one war fought by the US in the 1800s.: War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, or Spanish-American War
Name the war between the North and the South.: The Civil War
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.: Slavery, economic differences, or states' rights
What was one important thing Abraham Lincoln did?: Freed enslaved people (Emancipation Proclamation), saved the Union, or led during the Civil War
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?: Declared freedom for enslaved people in rebelling states
What did Susan B. Anthony do?: Fought for women's rights and the right to vote
Name one war fought by the US in the 1900s.: World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War or Gulf War
Who was president during World War I?: Woodrow Wilson
Who was president during the Great Depression and World War II?: Franklin Roosevelt
Who did the US fight in World War II?: Japan, Germany and Italy
Before he was president, Eisenhower was a general. In which war?: World War II
What was the main concern of the US during the Cold War?: The spread of communism
What movement did Martin Luther King Jr. lead?: The civil rights movement
What did Martin Luther King Jr. do?: Fought for civil rights and equality for all Americans using nonviolence
What major event happened on September 11, 2001?: Terrorists attacked the United States
Name one American Indian tribe in the US.: Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Apache, Iroquois, Pueblo and many others
Name one of the two longest rivers in the US.: The Missouri River or the Mississippi River
What ocean is on the West Coast?: The Pacific Ocean
What ocean is on the East Coast?: The Atlantic Ocean
Name one US territory.: Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa or Northern Mariana Islands
Name one state that borders Canada.: Maine, New York, Montana, Washington, Alaska and others
Name one state that borders Mexico.: California, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas
What is the capital of the US?: Washington, DC
Where is the Statue of Liberty?: New York Harbor, near Liberty Island
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?: They stand for the original 13 colonies
Why does the flag have 50 stars?: One for each state
What is the name of the national anthem?: The Star-Spangled Banner
Who wrote the words to the national anthem?: Francis Scott Key
When do we celebrate Independence Day?: July 4
Name two national US holidays.: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
What is Memorial Day?: A holiday honoring those who died serving in the military, on the last Monday in May
What is Veterans Day?: A holiday honoring all who served in the military, on November 11
What is Labor Day?: A holiday honoring workers, on the first Monday in September
What is Thanksgiving?: A holiday in late November to give thanks, on the fourth Thursday
What is Juneteenth?: A holiday on June 19 marking the end of slavery
What are the colors of the US flag?: Red, white and blue
What is the nickname of the US flag?: The Stars and Stripes
What is the bald eagle?: The national bird of the United States
What is E Pluribus Unum?: Latin for 'Out of many, one,' a national motto
What is the Liberty Bell?: A bell in Philadelphia, a symbol of freedom
How many states are in the US?: Fifty
Which cities served as the nation's capital before Washington, DC?: New York City and Philadelphia
Which state is the largest by area?: Alaska
Which state is the smallest by area?: Rhode Island
Which state has the most people?: California
Which was the last state to join?: Hawaii, in 1959
Who were the Pilgrims?: English settlers who founded Plymouth in 1620
What was the Underground Railroad?: A secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom
Who led people on the Underground Railroad?: Harriet Tubman is the best known
What was the Great Depression?: A severe economic downturn in the 1930s
What happened at Pearl Harbor?: Japan attacked the US naval base in Hawaii on December 7, 1941
What is the Fourth of July also called?: Independence Day

Free flashcards from Peabody at peabody.kids/flashcards/civics-citizenship-history-and-symbols