CIVICS FLASH CARDS

About These Cards

These cards help people learn about America.
They teach about our government.
They teach about our history.
These cards help people get ready for a big test.
The test is for becoming a citizen.
Teachers can use these cards too.

Important note: Some answers can change.
This happens after elections.
Always check for the newest answers.
Go to uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

About the Test

This test has 128 questions.
The test is spoken, not written.
An officer will ask you 20 questions.
You must get 12 right to pass.
That is 60 out of 100.

Special Help for Older Learners

Are you 65 or older?
Have you lived here 20 years or more?
Then you can study just 20 questions.
Look for a star (*) by each one.
You can take the test in your own language.
The officer will ask you 10 questions.
You must get 6 right to pass.

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Question 1: What kind of government does the U.S. have?
Answer: It is a republic.
People choose leaders to represent them.

Question 2: What is the highest law in the land? *
Answer: The U.S. Constitution.

Question 3: Name one thing the Constitution does.
Answer: It makes the government.
It also protects people's rights.

Question 4: The Constitution starts with "We the People."
What does that mean?
Answer: People should govern themselves.

Question 5: How do we change the Constitution?
Answer: We make amendments.
An amendment is a change to the rules.

Question 6: What does the Bill of Rights protect?
Answer: It protects rights for Americans.

Question 7: How many amendments does the Constitution have? *
Answer: Twenty-seven (27).

Question 8: Why is the Declaration of Independence important?
Answer: It says America is free from Britain.
It says all people are equal.

Question 9: Name two big ideas from our founding papers.
Answer: Equality and liberty.
Liberty means freedom.

Question 10: What paper said the colonies were free from Britain?
Answer: The Declaration of Independence.

Question 11: Where are the words "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"?
Answer: In the Declaration of Independence.

Question 12: What is America's economic system? *
Answer: Capitalism.
People can buy, sell, and own things freely.

Question 13: What is the rule of law?
Answer: Everyone must follow the law.
No one is above the law.

Question 14: Many old papers helped write the Constitution.
Name one.
Answer: The Declaration of Independence.
Or the Mayflower Compact.

Question 15: Why are there three branches of government?
Answer: So no one part gets too strong.

Question 16: Name the three branches.
Answer: Legislative, executive, and judicial.

Question 17: What branch does the President lead?
Answer: The executive branch.

Question 18: What part of government writes laws?
Answer: Congress.

Question 19: What are the two parts of Congress?
Answer: The Senate and the House of Representatives.

Question 20: Name one power of Congress. *
Answer: Congress writes laws.
Congress can declare war.

Question 21: How many U.S. senators are there?
Answer: One hundred (100).

Question 22: How long is a senator's term?
Answer: Six (6) years.

Question 23: Who is one senator from your state?
Answer: Answers will be different for each state.

Question 24: How many voting members are in the House?
Answer: Four hundred thirty-five (435).

Question 25: How long is a House member's term?
Answer: Two (2) years.

Question 26: Why do representatives serve shorter terms than senators?
Answer: To follow public opinion closely.

Question 27: How many senators does each state have?
Answer: Two (2).

Question 28: Why does every state get two senators?
Answer: So small states are equal to big states.

Question 29: Name your U.S. representative.
Answer: Answers will be different for each area.

Question 30: Who is the Speaker of the House now? *
Answer: Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Question 31: Who elects U.S. senators?
Answer: Citizens of their state.

Question 32: Who does a senator represent?
Answer: People of their state.

Question 33: Who elects House members?
Answer: Citizens in their district.

Question 34: Who does a House member represent?
Answer: Citizens in their district.

Question 35: Some states have more representatives.
Why?
Answer: Because they have more people.

Question 36: How long is a president's term? *
Answer: Four (4) years.

Question 37: A president can only serve two terms.
Why?
Answer: So no one becomes too powerful.

Question 38: Who is president now? *
Answer: Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Question 39: If the president cannot serve, who takes over?
Answer: The Vice President.

Question 40: Who is Vice President now? *
Answer: Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Question 41: Who leads the U.S. military?
Answer: The President.

Question 42: Name one power of the president.
Answer: The president signs bills into laws.
The president can also veto bills.

Question 43: Who signs bills into laws?
Answer: The President.

Question 44: Who can veto bills? *
Answer: The President.
A veto means saying no to a bill.

Question 45: Who picks federal judges?
Answer: The President.

Question 46: The executive branch has many parts.
Name one.
Answer: The Cabinet.
The Cabinet helps the president.

Question 47: What does the Cabinet do?
Answer: It gives advice to the president.

Question 48: Name two Cabinet jobs.
Answer: Secretary of State.
Secretary of Defense.

Question 49: Name one part of the judicial branch.
Answer: The Supreme Court.

Question 50: Why is the Electoral College important?
Answer: It helps decide who becomes president.

Question 51: What is the highest court in the U.S.? *
Answer: The Supreme Court.

Question 52: What does the judicial branch do?
Answer: It explains laws.
It solves disagreements about laws.

Question 53: How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
Answer: Nine (9).

Question 54: How many justices decide a case?
Answer: Five (5).

Question 55: How long do justices serve?
Answer: For life.

Question 56: Justices serve for life.
Why?
Answer: So they stay independent from politics.

Question 57: Who is the Chief Justice now?
Answer: Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

Question 58: Name one power only for the federal government.
Answer: Print money.
Declare war.

Question 59: Name one power only for the states.
Answer: Give out schooling.
Provide education.

Question 60: What is the 10th Amendment about?
Answer: Powers not given to the federal government belong to the states.
Or they belong to the people.