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U.S. Civics and Citizenship Topics
Lasting facts about American government, history and symbols that a new citizen or student should know. Written in original wording; not official test items.
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- What is the supreme law of the land?QuestionThe Constitution
- What does the Constitution do?QuestionSets up the government, defines its powers and protects basic rights
- What are the first three words of the Constitution?QuestionWe the People
- What is an amendment?QuestionA change or addition to the Constitution
- What is the Bill of Rights?QuestionThe first ten amendments
- How many amendments does the Constitution have?QuestionTwenty-seven
- What is one right in the First Amendment?QuestionFreedom of speech, religion, press, assembly or petition
- What is the economic system of the United States?QuestionA mixed market economy based on capitalism
- What is the rule of law?QuestionEveryone, including leaders, must follow the law
- What are the three branches of government?QuestionLegislative, executive and judicial
- Who makes federal laws?QuestionCongress
- What are the two parts of Congress?QuestionThe Senate and the House of Representatives
- How many U.S. senators are there?QuestionOne hundred
- How long is a senator's term?QuestionSix years
- How many voting members are in the House?QuestionFour hundred thirty-five
- How long is a House member's term?QuestionTwo years
- How many senators does each state have?QuestionTwo
- Who does a member of the House represent?QuestionThe people of their district
- What stops one branch from becoming too powerful?QuestionChecks and balances and the separation of powers
- Who is in charge of the executive branch?QuestionThe President
- How long is a presidential term?QuestionFour years
- How many times can a person be elected president?QuestionTwice; the 22nd Amendment limits it to two elected terms
- Who signs bills to become laws?QuestionThe President
- Who is commander in chief of the military?QuestionThe President
- What does the President's Cabinet do?QuestionAdvises the President
- Who becomes president if the president can no longer serve?QuestionThe Vice President
- What does the judicial branch do?QuestionReviews laws, explains laws and decides if a law goes against the Constitution
- What is the highest court in the United States?QuestionThe Supreme Court
- How many justices are on the Supreme Court?QuestionNine
- How are Supreme Court justices chosen?QuestionNominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate
- What is the capital of the United States?QuestionWashington, D.C.
- Where is the Statue of Liberty?QuestionNew York Harbor, on Liberty Island
- How many states are there?QuestionFifty
- How many stripes are on the flag?QuestionThirteen, for the original colonies
- How many stars are on the flag?QuestionFifty, one for each state
- What are the colors of the flag?QuestionRed, white and blue
- What is the national anthem?QuestionThe Star-Spangled Banner
- What is the Pledge of Allegiance?QuestionA promise of loyalty to the flag and the country
- What is the Fourth of July?QuestionIndependence Day, celebrating the Declaration of Independence
- Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?QuestionThomas Jefferson was its main author
- When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?QuestionJuly 4, 1776
- What did the Declaration of Independence say?QuestionThat the colonies were free of British rule and that people have rights
- What are two rights in the Declaration?QuestionLife, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
- Who was the first President?QuestionGeorge Washington
- Who was President during the Civil War?QuestionAbraham Lincoln
- What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?QuestionDeclared enslaved people in Confederate-held areas free
- Which amendment ended slavery?QuestionThe 13th Amendment
- Who fought in the Civil War?QuestionThe Union (North) and the Confederacy (South)
- What was the main reason for the Civil War?QuestionSlavery, along with states' rights and economic differences
- What did Susan B. Anthony do?QuestionFought for women's rights and the right to vote
- What did Martin Luther King Jr. do?QuestionLed nonviolent efforts for civil rights and equal treatment
- Which amendment gave women the right to vote?QuestionThe 19th Amendment
- What was the Great Depression?QuestionA severe economic downturn in the 1930s
- Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?QuestionFranklin D. Roosevelt
- Which countries did the U.S. fight in World War II?QuestionGermany, Italy and Japan (the Axis powers)
- What was the Cold War?QuestionA long rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union after World War II
- Who were the first people living in America?QuestionNative Americans
- Why did the Pilgrims come to America?QuestionTo seek religious freedom
- Who is the 'Father of Our Country'?QuestionGeorge Washington
- What was the Louisiana Purchase?QuestionThe 1803 purchase of land from France that doubled the country's size
- What happened at the Constitutional Convention?QuestionThe Constitution was written in 1787
- Who wrote the Federalist Papers?QuestionAlexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay
- Who was one important Founding Father?QuestionBenjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison or others
- What is the capital of your state?QuestionDepends on the state; every state has a capital city
- What are the two major political parties?QuestionDemocratic and Republican parties
- Who can vote in federal elections?QuestionCitizens age 18 and older
- What is one way Americans can participate in democracy?QuestionVote, join a party, run for office, join a community group or contact elected officials
- Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18?QuestionThe 26th Amendment
- What is one responsibility of citizens?QuestionServing on a jury, paying taxes or obeying laws
- What is one right only for citizens?QuestionVoting in federal elections or running for federal office
- What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge?QuestionThe United States and the flag
- When must men register for the Selective Service?QuestionAt age 18
- When are federal taxes due?QuestionGenerally by April 15
- What is the Electoral College?QuestionThe group of electors who choose the President
- What is a census?QuestionA count of the population done every ten years
- What is a jury?QuestionA group of citizens who decide the facts in a trial
- What is the Mayflower?QuestionThe ship that carried the Pilgrims to America in 1620
- What is the Mississippi River?QuestionOne of the longest rivers in the country, flowing to the Gulf of Mexico
- Which oceans border the U.S.?QuestionThe Atlantic on the east and the Pacific on the west
- Which countries border the continental U.S.?QuestionCanada and Mexico
- What is Memorial Day?QuestionA day honoring those who died serving in the military
- What is Veterans Day?QuestionA day honoring all who have served in the military
- What is Labor Day?QuestionA holiday honoring workers, on the first Monday of September
- What is Thanksgiving?QuestionA November holiday for giving thanks
- What is the bald eagle?QuestionThe national bird of the United States
- What is the Liberty Bell?QuestionA symbol of American independence, kept in Philadelphia
- What is the Great Seal?QuestionThe official seal of the United States
- What is federalism?QuestionPower shared between national and state governments
- What does the 10th Amendment say?QuestionPowers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people
- Who governs a state?QuestionA governor
- What is a mayor?QuestionThe leader of a city government
- What is due process?QuestionFair treatment under the law
- What is freedom of religion?QuestionThe right to practice any religion or none
- What is the Mayflower Compact?QuestionAn agreement to make fair laws for the Plymouth colony
- What is naturalization?QuestionThe process by which a non-citizen becomes a citizen
- What is an immigrant?QuestionA person who moves to a new country to live
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