2008 Civics Test
The 2008 US Citizenship Test: 100 Questions
If USCIS received your Form N-400 before October 20, 2025, you take the 2008 civics test: 100 study questions, 10 asked at the interview, 6 correct to pass. Questions marked 65/20 are the reduced set for the 65-and-older / 20-years-permanent-resident special consideration.
All 100 questions by section
American Government · A: Principles of American Democracy
What is the supreme law of the land?
- The Constitution
What does the Constitution do?
- Sets up the government
- Defines the government
- Protects basic rights of Americans
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
- We the People
What is an amendment?
- A change (to the Constitution)
- An addition (to the Constitution)
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
- The Bill of Rights
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
- Speech
- Religion
- Assembly
- Press
- Petition the government
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
- Twenty-seven (27)
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)
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
- Life
- Liberty
- Pursuit of happiness
What is freedom of religion?
- You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion
What is the economic system in the United States?
- Capitalist economy
- Market economy
What is the "rule of law"?
- Everyone must follow the law
- Leaders must obey the law
- Government must obey the law
- No one is above the law
American Government · B: System of Government
Name one branch or part of the government.
- Congress
- Legislative
- President
- Executive
- The courts
- Judicial
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
- Checks and balances
- Separation of powers
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
- The President
Who makes federal laws?
- Congress
- Senate and House (of Representatives)
- (U.S. or national) legislature
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
- The Senate and House (of Representatives)
How many U.S. Senators are there?
- One hundred (100)
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
- Six (6)
Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators now?
- Answers will vary by state — see states data file
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
- Four hundred thirty-five (435)
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
- Two (2)
Name your U.S. Representative.
- Answers will vary by congressional district
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
- All people of the state
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
- (Because of) the state's population
- (Because) they have more people
- (Because) some states have more people
We elect a President for how many years?
- Four (4)
In what month do we vote for President?
- November
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
- Donald J. Trump
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
- Donald J. Trump
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
- The Vice President
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
- The Speaker of the House
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
- The President
Who signs bills to become laws?
- The President
Who vetoes bills?
- The President
What does the President's Cabinet do?
- Advises the President
What are two Cabinet-level positions?
- Attorney General
- Secretary of Agriculture
- Secretary of Commerce
- Secretary of Defense
- Secretary of Education
- Secretary of Energy
- Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Secretary of Homeland Security
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
- Secretary of the Interior
- Secretary of Labor
- Secretary of State
- Secretary of Transportation
- Secretary of the Treasury
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Vice President
What does the judicial branch do?
- Reviews laws
- Explains laws
- Resolves disputes (disagreements)
- Decides if a law goes against the Constitution
What is the highest court in the United States?
- The Supreme Court
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
- Nine (9) — verify at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
- John Roberts
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
- To print money
- To declare war
- To create an army
- To make treaties
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
- Provide schooling and education
- Provide protection (police)
- Provide safety (fire departments)
- Give a driver's license
- Approve zoning and land use
Who is the Governor of your state now?
- Answers will vary by state — see states data file
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
What is the capital of your state?
- Answers will vary by state — see states data file
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
- Democratic and Republican
What is the political party of the President now?
- Republican
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
- Mike Johnson
Verified 2026-07-12. Always double-check at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
American Government · C: Rights and Responsibilities
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
- Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote)
- You don't have to pay (a poll tax) to vote
- Any citizen can vote (women and men can vote)
- A male citizen of any race (can vote)
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
- Serve on a jury
- Vote in a federal election
Name one right only for United States citizens.
- Vote in a federal election
- Run for federal office
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
- Freedom of expression
- Freedom of speech
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom to petition the government
- Freedom of religion
- The right to bear arms
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
- The United States
- The flag
What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
- Give up loyalty to other countries
- Defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
- Obey the laws of the United States
- Serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
- Serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
- Be loyal to the United States
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
- Eighteen (18) and older
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
- Vote
- Join a political party
- Help with a campaign
- Join a civic group
- Join a community group
- Give an elected official your opinion on an issue
- Call Senators and Representatives
- Publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
- Run for office
- Write to a newspaper
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
- April 15
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
- At age eighteen (18)
- Between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
American History · A: Colonial Period and Independence
What is one reason colonists came to America?
- Freedom
- Political liberty
- Religious freedom
- Economic opportunity
- Practice their religion
- Escape persecution
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
- American Indians
- Native Americans
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
- Africans
- People from Africa
Why did the colonists fight the British?
- Because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
- Because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
- Because they didn't have self-government
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- (Thomas) Jefferson
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
- July 4, 1776
There were 13 original states. Name three.
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
- The Constitution was written
- The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution
When was the Constitution written?
- 1787
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
- (James) Madison
- (Alexander) Hamilton
- (John) Jay
- Publius
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
- U.S. diplomat
- Oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
- First Postmaster General of the United States
- Writer of "Poor Richard's Almanac"
- Started the first free libraries
Who is the "Father of Our Country"?
- (George) Washington
Who was the first President?
- (George) Washington
American History · B: 1800s
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
- The Louisiana Territory
- Louisiana
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
- War of 1812
- Mexican-American War
- Civil War
- Spanish-American War
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
- The Civil War
- The War between the States
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
- Slavery
- Economic reasons
- States' rights
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
- Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
- Saved (or preserved) the Union
- Led the United States during the Civil War
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
- Freed the slaves
- Freed slaves in the Confederacy
- Freed slaves in the Confederate states
- Freed slaves in most Southern states
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
- Fought for women's rights
- Fought for civil rights
American History · C: Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
- World War I
- World War II
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- (Persian) 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 United States fight in World War II?
- Japan, Germany, and Italy
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
- World War II
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
- Communism
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
- Civil rights (movement)
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
- Fought for civil rights
- Worked for equality for all Americans
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
- Terrorists attacked the United States
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
- Cherokee
- Navajo
- Sioux
- Chippewa
- Choctaw
- Pueblo
- Apache
- Iroquois
- Creek
- Blackfeet
- Seminole
- Cheyenne
- Arawak
- Shawnee
- Mohegan
- Huron
- Oneida
- Lakota
- Crow
- Teton
- Hopi
- Inuit
Integrated Civics · A: Geography
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
- Missouri (River)
- Mississippi (River)
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
- Pacific (Ocean)
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
- Atlantic (Ocean)
Name one U.S. territory.
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- American Samoa
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Guam
Name one state that borders Canada.
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Ohio
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- North Dakota
- Montana
- Idaho
- Washington
- Alaska
Name one state that borders Mexico.
- California
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Texas
What is the capital of the United States?
- Washington, D.C.
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
- New York (Harbor)
- Liberty Island
- Also acceptable: New Jersey, near New York City, on the Hudson (River)
Integrated Civics · B: Symbols
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- Because there were 13 original colonies
- Because the stripes represent the original colonies
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
- Because there is one star for each state
- Because each star represents a state
- Because there are 50 states
What is the name of the national anthem?
- The Star-Spangled Banner
Integrated Civics · C: Holidays
When do we celebrate Independence Day?
- July 4
Name two national U.S. 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