U.S. Citizenship Test: Could You Pass?


  If you were born a U.S. citizen, you didn't have to do anything 
to become a citizen--except be born. But each year, thousands of 
people have to take a test to gain citizenship. This quiz includes 
actual questions asked on the exam given by the Immigration and 
Naturalization Service (INS).
 
1. What do the stripes on the flag mean?  
  
a) They represent the 13 original colonies 
b) They represent each of the people who signed the Declaration of 
   Independence 
c) They represent the battles fought for United States independence 


2. How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution? 
a) 23 
b) 19 
c) 27 

3. What are the three branches of our government? 
a) Legislative, executive, and judicial 
b) Legislative, parliamentary, judicial 
c) Executive, legislative, parliamentary 

4. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? 
a) It ordered that Pilgrims be freed from British oppression 
b) It ordered that slaves in rebel territory be freed 
c) It allowed citizens of the United States to claim land 

5. Who becomes president of the United States if the president and 
   the vice president should die? 
a) The secretary of state 
b) The attorney general 
c) The Speaker of the House of Representatives 

6.  Which countries were our principal allies during World War II? 
a) United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, 
   Russia, Italy, France 
b) United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, 
   Italy, China, France 
c) United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, 
   Russia, China, France 

7. What is the 49th state of the Union (United States)? 
a) Alaska 
b) Hawaii 
c) New Mexico 

8. How many Supreme Court justices are there? 
a) 9 
b) 12 
c) 13 

9. What is the national anthem of the United States? 
a) "America the Beautiful" 
b) "This Land is Your Land" 
c) "The Star-Spangled Banner" 

10. In what year was the Constitution written? 
a) 1776 
b) 1771 
c) 1787 

11. What is the name of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America? 
a) Constitution 
b) Mayflower 
c) Titanic 



Ans: 
1) A - Flag of the United States, popularly called the American flag, 
    the official national flag of the United States. It consists of 13 
    horizontal stripes, 7 red alternating with 6 white, and in the 
    upper corner near the staff, a rectangular blue field, or canton,
    containing 50 five-pointed white stars. The stripes symbolize the 
    13 colonies that originally constituted the United States of America. 
    The stars represent the 50 states of the Union. In the language of 
    the Continental Congress, which defined the symbolic meanings of 
    the colors red, white, and blue, as used in the flag, White signifies
    Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; and Blue, Vigilance,
    Perseverance and Justice. Because of its stars, stripes, and colors, 
    the American flag is frequently called the Star-Spangled Banner, the 
    Stars and Stripes, or the Red, White, and Blue. Another popular, 
    patriotic designation, Old Glory, is of uncertain origin.


2) C - Constitution of the United States, system of fundamental laws of 
    the United States of America. The Constitution was drawn up by 55 
    delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia during 
    the summer of 1787 and ratified by the states in 1788. The Constitution
    defines distinct powers for the Congress of the United States, the 
    president, and the federal courts. This division of authority is known 
    as a system of checks and balances, and it ensures that none of the 
    branches of government can dominate the others. The Constitution also
    establishes and limits the authority of the federal government over 
    the states and spells out freedoms and liberties for U.S. citizens.


3) A 

4) B - Emancipation Proclamation, proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln 
    on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War, declaring all 
    slaves within any State, or designated part of a State ... then ... 
    in rebellion, ... shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free. 

5) C  

6) C 

7) A - Alaska was admitted as the 49th state of the Union on June 30, 1958.

8) A - There are nine Supreme Court justices. There are eight associate 
    justices and one chief justice. Currently William Rehnquist holds 
    the office of chief justice of the United States.


9) C - "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United 
    States. Francis Scott Key wrote the text in 1814, and it later became 
    popular as a song, sung to the tune of a British drinking song. 
    Congress approved it as our national anthem on March 3, 1931.


10) C - The Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified in 1788.


11) B - The Pilgrims came to America aboard the Mayflower. A good way to 
     remember this one is the old joke: If April showers bring May flowers, 
     what do Mayflowers bring? The Pilgrims. 
     
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by JZone.com 2003