Learn About the 

United States:

Quick Civics Lessons

M-638
Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons

To become a United States citizen, you need to learn about 

the history of the United States and how its government 

works. Knowing about your new country is a very important 

part of being a good citizen. 

Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you learn 

more about U.S. history and government as you prepare for 

citizenship. This booklet provides short lessons, based on 

each of the civics questions that you must study for your 

naturalization exam. As you study the Questions and Answers 

you can learn more about the topic by reading the paragraph. To help you learn words that may not be familiar, a 

glossary is provided at the end. 

The United States has a rich, interesting history and a unique 

system of government. Learning more about the United 

States as you prepare to naturalize will help make your journey toward U.S. citizenship more meaningful.

During your naturalization interview, you will not be 

tested on the additional information in the short lessons. 

You will only be asked the Questions and Answers. 

The USCIS Civics Flash Cards are a useful study tool for those preparing to take the 

naturalization exam. These colorful, easy-to-use cards present each of the questions 

that can be asked during the exam. The Civics Flash Cards are available for free online at http://uscis.gov/graphics/citizenship/. Hard copies can be ordered from the 

Government Printing Offi ce (GPO) by calling 1-866-512-1800 or by going online to 

http://bookstore.gpo.gov/ and searching for “fl ash cards.” 

Another Option to Help You Study: Civics Flash Cards
★ For defi nitions of words that are in italics, please see the Civics Glossary in the back. ★ 1

Question 1: What are the colors of our fl ag? 

Answer 1: Red, white, and blue 

We call the American fl ag the “Stars and Stripes.” Congress 

chose the “Stars and Stripes” design for our fl ag on June 14, 

1777. Because of this, Americans celebrate June 14th of every 

year as Flag Day. Much later, Congress explained the colors: 

red stands for “hardiness and valor,” white for “purity and 

innocence,” and blue for “vigilance, perseverance, and justice.”

Question 5: How many stripes are there on our fl ag? 

Answer 5: There are 13 stripes on our fl ag.

For 18 years after becoming an independent country, the 

United States had only 13 states. In 1794, Kentucky and 

Vermont joined the United States, making the number of 

states 15. At fi rst, Congress increased the number of stars 

and stripes on the fl ag from 13 to 15. The number of stripes 

was not reduced to 13 again for many years. 

Question 6: What do the stripes on the fl ag represent? 

Answer 6: The fi rst 13 states 

In 1818, Congress decided that the number of stripes on 

the fl ag should always remain at 13. This would honor the 

original states, no matter how many new states would join 

the United States later. These original 13 had been colonies of 

Great Britain before America’s independence.

Question 7: What colors are the stripes on the fl ag? 

Answer 7: The stripes on the fl ag are red and white. 

The pre-independence American fl ags also had stripes. The 

“Boston Liberty” fl ag, for example, was fl own in the early 

part of the American Revolution. This fl ag was fl own by a famous 

group of patriots called the Sons of Liberty. This group and 

others felt that British laws treated the American colonists 

unfairly. They were also angry at being taxed by the British 

while having no say, or “representation,” in the government. 

Question 8: How many states are there in the Union (the 

United States)? 

Answer 8: 50 states

There are 50 states in the Union. The fi rst 13 states, which 

were the original 13 colonies, are Connecticut, New 

Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, 

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Georgia, 

Delaware, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The last state 

to join the Union was Hawaii. Hawaii became a state in 

1959. 

Question 9: What do we celebrate on the 4th of July?

Answer 9: Independence Day 

Congress voted for the United States to become independent 

from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. However, we celebrate 

Independence Day on July 4th. This is because it took two 

more days for Congress to vote to accept an offi cial Declaration

of Independence. This Declaration was written by Thomas 

Jefferson and edited by Congress. It explained why the 

American colonies were separating from their British ruler. 

Question 2: What do the stars on the fl ag mean? 

Answer 2: One for each state 

The white stars on the fl ag represent the United States as 

being like “a new constellation” in the sky. The nation was 

seen as a new constellation because the republican system of 

government was new and different in the 1770s. Very few 

other countries were republics at that time. In the republican 

U.S. system, leaders work to help all of the country’s people. 

They do not act to help only a few special citizens. Since the 

people themselves choose these leaders, the people hold the 

power of government. 

Question 3: How many stars are there on our fl ag? 

Answer 3: There are 50 stars on our fl ag. 

Each star represents a state. This is why the number of stars 

has changed over the years from 13 to 50. The number of 

stars reached 50 in 1959. In that year, Hawaii joined the 

United States as the 50th state.

Question 4: What color are the stars on our fl ag? 

Answer 4: The stars on our fl ag are white. 

The stars represent the Founding Fathers’ view of the American 

“experiment” in democracy. To them, the goal of a republic 

based on individual freedom was a noble, lofty idea. Stars are 

considered a symbol of the heavens and the high, ambitious 

vision that our Founders were trying to reach. 

Quick Civics Lessons
2

Question 11: What country did we fi ght during the 

Revolutionary War? 

Answer 11: We fought England in the Revolutionary 

War. 

The American colonists’ anger had been building for years 

before the Revolutionary War began. The Americans fought 

this war because they wanted freedom from colonial rule. 

The fi ghting of the war ended in 1781, after the Battle of 

Yorktown. The Americans, with French help, won this battle. 

However, only in 1783 did the British fully accept United 

States independence. 

Question 12: Who was the fi rst president of the United 

States? 

Answer 12: George Washington 

We honor George 

Washington as the fi rst 

President of the United 

States. After leading the 

fi ght to win American 

independence, Washington 

played an important role in 

the new nation’s formation. 

He was the elected leader of 

the meeting, or convention, 

The 4th of July is now considered to be the birthday of 

America. We celebrate with parades, fi reworks, the playing 

of patriotic songs, and live readings of the Declaration of 

Independence. 

Question 10: Independence Day celebrates independence 

from whom? 

Answer 10: Independence from England 

If you are asked this question on the exam, you should 

answer “England.” However, England is actually just one part 

of the kingdom of Great Britain. Scotland and Wales are also 

part of Great Britain. 

that was held to create the Constitution. Later on, 

Washington’s service as the fi rst U.S. President set a tradition 

for future presidents to follow. For example, he refused to 

try to become President more than twice. This began the 

very democratic tradition of a President not serving more than 

two terms. This limit is now required by a Constitutional 

Amendment. 

Question 13: Who is the President of the United States 

today? 

Answer 13: George W. Bush 

George W. Bush is the 43rd President 

of the United States. He was the 

Governor of Texas before winning the 

presidential election of 2000. Four 

years later, Bush won election to a 

second term as President. The name of 

the President’s wife, called “the First 

Lady,” is Laura. President Bush’s father 

was the 41st President of the United 

 States. His name was also George. He 

 served as President from 1989 until 

 1993. 

Question 14: Who is the Vice President of the United 

States today? 

Answer 14: Dick Cheney

Richard B. Cheney is the 46th Vice President of the United 

States. Vice President Cheney grew up in Wyoming. He later 

represented the people of Wyoming in the U.S. Congress. As 

Vice President, Cheney is President of the U.S. Senate and a 

top advisor to the President. Also, the Vice President is fi rst in 

line to become President if the current President dies.

Question 15: Who elects the President of the United 

States? 

Answer 15: The Electoral College

The Electoral College is not a place or a school. It is a process 

that was designed by the writers of the Constitution to select 

presidents. It came from a compromise between the President 

being directly elected by the people and the President being 

chosen by Congress. Combining these ideas, the people 

vote for a “college” of electors, who then meet to choose 

the President. In modern times, the people of each of the 

50 states and the District of Columbia vote for the electors 

in November. The electors then, in December, select the 

President. 

Question 16: Who becomes President if the President 

dies? 

Answer 16: The Vice President 

The Vice President is fi rst in line to take over as President. 

This has happened eight times throughout U.S. history. 

George Washington

President Bush

Fireworks on the 4th of July
★ For defi nitions of words that are in italics, please see the Civics Glossary in the back. ★ 3

William Henry Harrison died in offi ce in 1841. Zachary 

Taylor died in offi ce in 1850. Abraham Lincoln was killed in 

offi ce in 1865. James Garfi eld was killed in offi ce in 1881. 

William McKinley was killed in offi ce in 1901. Warren 

Harding died in offi ce in 1923. Franklin Roosevelt died in 

offi ce in 1945. John F. Kennedy was killed in offi ce in 1963. 

Question 17: What is the Constitution? 

Answer 17: The supreme law of the land 

The U.S. 

Constitution 

has lasted 

longer than any 

other country’s 

constitution in 

human history. 

It is the basic 

legal framework 

establishing the 

U.S. government. 

Every person 

and every agency 

and department 

of government 

must follow the 

Constitution. 

This is why 

it is called the “supreme law of the land.” Under this system, 

the powers of the national government are limited to those 

written in the Constitution. The guiding principle behind 

this system is often known as the “rule of law.”

Question 18: What do we call changes to the 

Constitution? 

Answer 18: Amendments 

It is not easy for the Constitution to be changed, or 

amended. First, two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of 

the House of Representatives must vote for an Amendment. 

Then, the states must act. Three-fourths of the states must 

approve the Amendment. This process is called “ratifi cation.” 

Six times an Amendment has passed the U.S. Senate and 

House of Representatives, but was not approved by enough 

states to be ratifi ed. 

Question 19: How many changes, or amendments, are 

there to the Constitution? 

Answer 19: Twenty-seven amendments 

The fi rst Amendments to the Constitution were added in 

1791. These original ten Amendments are called the Bill of 

Rights. Since the Bill of Rights passed, 17 more Amendments 

have been added. The 27th Amendment is the most recent 

one. It was added in 1992 and addresses how Senators 

and Representatives are paid. Interestingly, Congress fi rst 

discussed this Amendment back in 1789.

Question 20: What are the three branches of our 

government? 

Answer 20: Executive, Judicial, and Legislative 

The Constitution divides the government’s power among 

three branches. These branches operate under a system of 

“checks and balances.” This means that each branch can 

block, or threaten to block, the action of another branch. 

This way, no one branch can grow too powerful and harm 

the liberties of citizens. For example, the Senate can block a 

treaty signed by the President, or the U.S. Supreme Court 

can reject a law passed by Congress. In the fi rst example, 

the legislative branch is “checking” the executive, and in the 

second, the judicial branch is “checking” the legislative.

Question 21: What is the legislative branch of our 

Government? 

Answer 21: Congress 

The main job of Congress is to make national laws. By 

dividing Congress into two parts, the Constitution put the 

“checks and balances” idea to work within the legislative 

branch. Each part of Congress, the House of Representatives 

and the Senate, makes sure that the other does not become 

too powerful. These two “check” each other because both 

must agree for a law to be made. A Congress divided into 

two parts is known as a “bicameral legislature.” 

Question 22: What makes up Congress? 

Answer 22: The Senate and the House of Representatives 

Specifi c powers are assigned to each of these chambers. 

Only the Senate has the power to reject a treaty signed by the 

President or a person chosen to serve on the Supreme Court. 

Only the House of Representatives has the power to begin 

considering a bill that makes Americans pay taxes. Also, only 

the House has the power to make a President go to trial for a 

crime against the United States. This is called impeachment. 

The Capitol in Washington, DC, where Congress meets to make 

the federal laws

The Constitution of the United States
4

Question 23: Who makes the Federal laws in the United 

States? 

Answer 23: Congress 

A federal law is a rule that all Americans must follow. Every 

law begins as a proposal made by a member of Congress. Tax 

proposals must begin in the House. Other types of proposals 

can be made by any Senator or Representative. When the 

Senate or House begins to debate the proposal, it is called a 

bill. If the President signs the bill, it becomes a federal law. 

Question 24: Who elects Congress? 

Answer 24: The citizens of the United States 

The nation is divided into 435 Congressional “districts.” 

The people of each district are represented by a member of 

the House of Representatives. At the same time, the people 

of each state vote for two U.S. Senators. The term of offi ce 

for members of the House of Representatives is two years. 

The term for Senators is six years. The people of a state have 

directly elected their two Senators only since 1913. Before 

then, that state’s legislature elected the U.S. Senators to 

represent that state. 

Question 25: How many Senators are there in Congress? 

Answer 25: There are 100 Senators in Congress, 2 from 

each state. 

One reason that the Senate was created was to give states 

with few people equal power to states with many people. 

With two Senators representing each state, states with small 

populations have the same Senate representation as states 

with large populations. In contrast, in the House, states with 

more people have more Representatives and therefore more 

power. 

Question 26: For how long do we elect each Senator? 

Answer 26: 6 years 

The writers of the Constitution wanted Senators to be 

independent from public opinion. A longer, six-year term 

would give them this protection. They also wanted the 

Senate to “balance” the two-year term of the members 

of the House, which would more closely follow public 

opinion. Following these ideas, the Senate became known 

as the “upper house.” The Constitution puts no limit on the 

number of terms a Senator may serve. 

Question 27: Name two Senators from your state. 

Answer 27: The answer to this question depends on 

where you live. 

For a complete list of United States Senators and the states 

they represent, go to http://www.senate.gov.

Question 28: How many voting members are in the House 

of Representatives? 

Answer 28: There are 435 voting members in the House 

of Representatives. 

The House has had 435 members since 1912. Since that 

year, however, the distribution among the states of those 

435 members has changed. This is because the number of 

Representatives from each state is re-calculated every ten 

years. New information from the National Census is used in 

this re-calculation. If one state gains many residents while 

another state loses many, the fi rst state could get one or more 

new Representatives, while the other state could lose one or 

more. But the overall number of U.S. Representatives does 

not change. 

The House of Representatives meeting room in the Capitol

Question 29: For how long do we elect each member of 

the House of Representatives? 

Answer 29: For 2 years 

People living in a Representative’s home district are called 

“constituents.” Each Representative tends to refl ect the views 

of most of these constituents. If Representatives do not do 

this, they may be voted out of offi ce. The writers of the 

Constitution believed that short two-year terms and frequent 

elections keep Representatives closer to their constituents 

and public opinion. The Constitution puts no limit on the 

number of terms a Representative may serve. 

Question 30: Who is the head of the Executive Branch of 

the U.S. Government? 

Answer 30: The President 

The President is both the head of state and the head of 

government. Presidential powers include the ability to 

sign treaties with other countries and select ambassadors to 

represent the United States abroad. As head of the executive 

branch, the President names the top leaders of the federal 

departments. However, the Senate has the power to reject the 

President’s choices. This limit on the power of the President 

is another example of checks and balances. 

Question 31: For how long is the President elected? 

Answer 31: The President is elected for 4 years. 

Early American leaders felt that the head of the British 

government, the king, had too much power. Because of 
★ For defi nitions of words that are in italics, please see the Civics Glossary in the back. ★ 5

this, they limited the powers of the head of the new U.S. 

government. They decided that the President would have to 

be elected by the people every four years. 

Question 32: What is the highest part of the Judiciary 

Branch of our Government? 

Answer 32: The Supreme Court 

Many different federal courts make up the judiciary branch. 

The Constitution directly created the Supreme Court, but 

gave Congress the right to create lower federal courts. 

District and appellate courts are two examples of types 

of lower courts. Decisions made by these courts can be 

reviewed and overturned by the higher-ranking Supreme 

Court. The lower courts are spread throughout the country, 

in various districts and circuits. 

Question 33: What are the duties of the Supreme Court? 

Answer 33: To interpret and explain the laws 

The U.S. Supreme Court makes 

sure that laws are consistent 

with the Constitution. If they are 

not, the Court can declare them 

“unconstitutional” and therefore 

not valid. In this case, the laws are 

rejected. The Court has the last word 

on all cases that have to do with 

federal law and treaties. It also rules 

on other cases, such as those 

 between states. 

Question 34: What is the supreme law of the United 

States? 

Answer 34: The Constitution 

The government set up by the Constitution is based on the 

consent, or agreement, of the governed. The introduction to 

the Constitution refl ects this idea. This introduction is called 

the Preamble. It states that “We the People” establish the 

Constitution. The actual system of the U.S. government is a 

representative democracy. It also refl ects the idea of “consent 

of the governed.” The “governed”—all U.S. citizens—choose 

representatives to make the nation’s laws and a president to 

lead the executive branch. 

Question 35: What is the Bill of Rights? 

Answer 35: The fi rst 10 amendments to the Constitution 

When the 

Constitution was 

fi rst written, it 

did not focus on 

individual rights. 

Its goal was to 

create the system 

and structure 

of government. 

Many Americans, 

including a 

group called the 

Anti-Federalists, 

wanted a specifi c 

list of things 

the government 

could not do to 

 Americans. James 

Madison responded with a list of rights of individuals and 

limits of government. Some of these included citizens’ rights 

to practice their religion freely, to speak and publish freely, 

and to complain publicly about anything they wanted. The 

list was in the form of changes, or Amendments, to the 

Constitution. These Amendments were ratifi ed in 1791. They 

soon became known as the Bill of Rights. 

Question 36: What is the capital of the state you live in? 

Answer 36: The answer to this question depends on the 

state where you 

reside. To learn 

the capital of your 

state, go to http://

www.fi rstgov.gov 

and select the state 

government link. 

Question 37: Who is the current Governor of the state you 

live in? 

Answer 37: The answer to this question depends on 

where you live. To learn the name of the 

Governor of your state, go to http://www.

fi rstgov.gov and select the state government 

link. 

Question 38: Who becomes President if both the 

President and Vice President die? 

Answer 38: The Speaker of the House 

The answer to this question has changed throughout history. 

At fi rst, following a 1791 law, the Senate President Pro 

The President’s home, the White House

The Supreme Court

The Bill of Rights
6

Question 42: Name some countries that were our enemies 

during World War II. 

Answer 42: Germany, Italy, and Japan 

The United States 

offi cially went to 

war on December 

8, 1941. President 

Franklin Roosevelt, as 

Commander-in-Chief 

of the military, obtained 

an offi cial declaration 

of war from Congress. 

This was one day after 

Japan bombed Pearl 

Harbor, an American 

naval base in Hawaii. 

Japan’s partners in the 

Axis, Italy and Germany, 

quickly declared war on 

the United States, Great 

Britain, and their Allies.

The Allies fought against the German Nazis, the Italian 

Fascists, and Japan’s military empire. This was very diffi cult 

for the United States, which had to fi ght wars in both the 

Pacifi c Ocean and Europe.

Question 43: What was the 49th state added to our Union 

(the United States)? 

Answer 43: Alaska 

In 1867, the U.S. government bought the land of Alaska 

from Russia, paying $7,200,000. Secretary of State William 

Seward made the decision to buy Alaska. 92 years later, in 

1959, Alaska fi nally became a state. The people of Alaska 

now honor Seward for his commitment to their state. They 

celebrate Seward’s Day every March. 

Question 44: How many full terms can a President serve? 

Answer 44: Two full terms 

The fi rst U.S. President, George Washington, only ran for 

President twice. Washington felt that one person should 

not serve as President for a very long time. Following this 

tradition, no future President served for more than two 

terms until Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt was elected to four 

terms. Not long after he died, the Constitution was amended 

so that a President could only serve two terms.

Question 45: Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.? 

Answer 45: A civil rights leader 

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and civil rights 

hero. During his short life he did much to make America a 

more fair, tolerant, and equal nation. He was the main leader 

of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Because 

Tempore was second in line to become President after the Vice 

President. Later, Congress passed a law making the Secretary 

of State next in line if the President and Vice President died. 

However, in 1947 Congress returned to the original idea of 

a Congressional leader being next in line. This time, though, 

the Speaker of the House was chosen to be the next in line after 

the President and Vice President.

Question 39: Who is Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? 

Answer 39: This position is vacant. 

William Rehnquist, who was the Chief Justice, passed away 

September 3, 2005. President George W. Bush has nominated 

Judge John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 

Rehnquist became an Associate Justice of the Supreme 

Court in 1972. President Richard Nixon chose him for this 

position. Fourteen years later, President Ronald Reagan chose 

Rehnquist to replace Warren Burger as Chief Justice.

Question 40: What were the original 13 states? 

Answer 40: Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode 

Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, North 

Carolina, South Carolina, New York, New 

Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Georgia

These 13 had been colonies before the United States became 

an independent country. The British king ruled the 13 

colonies, but Great Britain was very far away and focused 

on domestic affairs or wars in Europe, not on the colonies. 

Therefore, even before their independence, the colonies 

largely governed themselves. This was done partly through 

colonial legislatures. These legislatures were elected by the 

colonists. Until the American Revolution, though, most 

colonists did think of the British king as their true ruler. 

Question 41: Who said, “Give me liberty or give me 

death”? 

Answer 41: Patrick Henry 

Patrick Henry was a fi ery

leader of the American 

Revolution. Before U.S. 

independence, he spoke 

out for colonial rights 

within the legislature 

of Virginia. Henry 

represented Virginia in 

both the First and, briefl y, 

the Second Continental 

Congress. He helped 

push the colonies toward 

independence. In 1775, 

when the Revolutionary War began, Henry convinced 

Virginia to join the colonists’ side. Later he became the fi rst 

governor of the state of Virginia. 

American patriot Patrick Henry

World War II airplanes
★ For defi nitions of words that are in italics, please see the Civics Glossary in the back. ★ 7

However, once on the Court, the Justices have lifelong terms. 

Therefore, the judicial branch’s power and independence is 

protected. 

Question 49: How many Supreme Court justices are 

there? 

Answer 49: There are 9 Supreme Court justices. 

The number of Justices is not established in the Constitution. 

In the past, it has been as high as ten and as low as six. 

Now, there are eight Associate Justices and one Chief Justice. 

The current Associate Justices are Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 

David Souter, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, Antonin 

Scalia, John Paul Stevens, Anthony Kennedy, and Sandra Day 

O‘Connor. The Chief Justice, William Rehnquist, passed away 

September 3, 2005. Judge John Roberts has been nominated 

to succeed Rehnquist as Chief Justice. Justice O‘Connor 

recently announced that she will retire as soon as a successor 

is confi rmed. 

Question 50: Why did the Pilgrims come to America? 

Answer 50: To gain religious freedom 

In the early 1600s, the

Pilgrims left their homeland 

of England. They fi rst went 

to Holland, where they 

lived for a few years, then 

America. Many English 

settlers sailed across the 

ocean to the American 

colonies during the 

17th Century. Many came 

for political freedom or, like the Pilgrims, the right to 

practice their religion. Others came because of economic 

opportunity. These freedoms and opportunities often did 

not exist in the home countries of these settlers. For them, 

the American colonies meant a new chance in life and the 

freedom to live as they wanted. 

Question 51: What is the executive of a state government 

called? 

Answer 51: The Governor 

The position of governor is not the same in every state. For 

example, the number of years that a governor is elected to 

serve—called a “term”—may differ from state to state. The 

governor’s job within a state government is similar to the 

President’s job within the federal government. However, the 

state laws that a governor carries out are different from the 

federal laws that the President carries out. The Constitution 

says that certain issues are covered by federal, not state, laws. 

All other issues are covered by state laws. This system is 

of this movement, civil 

rights laws that protected 

voting rights and ended 

segregation were passed. 

King believed in the 

ideals of the Declaration 

of Independence. He 

advanced the idea that 

every citizen deserves 

America’s promise of 

equality and justice.

Question 46: What are some of the requirements to be 

 eligible to become President? 

Answer 46: A candidate for President must 

• be a native-born, not naturalized, 

 citizen, 

• be at least 35 years old, and 

• have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years. 

The writers of the Constitution wanted the President to 

be an experienced leader with a strong connection to the 

United States. The eligibility requirements try to make sure 

that this happens. In Federalist Paper #64, John Jay wrote 

that the President should be a man “of whom the people 

have had time to form a judgment.” This, Jay explains, 

is one main reason for the eligibility requirements. The 

youngest person in American history to become President 

was Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt entered the White House 

when he was 42 years old. 

Question 47: Why are there 100 Senators in the United 

States Senate? 

Answer 47: Each state elects 2 Senators. 

The writers of the Constitution wanted the two parts of 

Congress to have different characters. By giving each state 

only two Senators, the writers made sure that the Senate 

would be small. This would keep the Senate more orderly 

than the larger House of Representatives. As James Madison 

wrote in Federalist Paper #63, the Senate should be a 

“temperate and respectable body of citizens” that operates 

in a “cool and deliberate” way. 

Question 48: Who nominates judges for the Supreme 

Court? 

Answer 48: The President nominates judges for the 

Supreme Court. 

The process of nominating a Supreme Court Justice is an 

example of checks and balances. The executive branch has 

the power to choose the members of the judicial branch of 

the federal government. The legislative branch can check this 

power, since the Senate must confi rm the President’s nominee. 

The civil rights leader Martin 

Luther King, Jr.

Pilgrims
8

Question 55: When was the Declaration of Independence 

adopted? 

Answer 55: July 4, 1776 

In 1774, representatives from 12 of the colonies met 

in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the First Continental 

Congress. They protested British laws that treated them unfairly. 

They also began to organize an army. After fi ghting began 

between the colonists and the British army, a Second 

Continental Congress met. This group appointed Jefferson 

and others to create the Declaration of Independence. This 

document stated that, if a government does not protect 

the rights of the people, the people can create a new 

government. Following this idea, the colonists broke from 

their British rulers and formed a new country. 

Question 56: What are some of the basic beliefs of the 

Declaration of Independence? 

Answer 56: That all men are created equal and have the 

right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of 

happiness 

The Declaration is based on ideas about freedom and 

individual rights. For Jefferson and the Founding Fathers, 

people are born with natural rights that no government 

can take away. Government exists only to protect these 

rights. Because the people voluntarily give up power to 

a government, they can take that power back. The British 

government was not protecting the rights of the colonists, 

so they “took back their power” and separated from Great 

Britain. 

Question 57: What is the national anthem of the United 

States? 

Answer 57: The Star-Spangled Banner

During the War of 1812, British soldiers invaded the United 

States. On the night of September 13, 1814, British warships bombed Fort McHenry. This fort protected the city of 

Baltimore. An American named Francis Scott Key watched 

the fi erce bombing, and thought that the fort would fall. As 

the sun rose the next morning, Key looked toward the fort. 

He saw that the American fl ag above the fort was still fl ying, 

proving that the United States had not been defeated. Key 

immediately wrote the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Question 58. Who wrote The Star-Spangled Banner? 

Answer 58. Francis Scott Key 

Key fi rst wrote the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner” as 

a poem. He named this poem “The Defence [sic] of Fort 

M’Henry.” Many years later music was added to the words 

of the poem. This music came from a piece called “Anacreon 

in Heaven.” The combination of the poem with the music 

created the song that is now so well-known. It was not until 

1931 that Congress passed a law naming “The Star-Spangled 

Banner” the offi cial national anthem.

known as federalism. Federalism forces states and the federal 

government to share power on many issues. 

Question 52: What is the head executive of a city government called? 

Answer 52: The Mayor 

Like a Governor or 

the President, a mayor 

usually shares power 

with a legislative body. 

In city government, this 

is often called the City 

Council. Cities in the 

United States are located 

within larger regions 

called counties. Usually, 

each county has its own government. 

Question 53: What holiday was celebrated for the fi rst 

time by American colonists? 

Answer 53: Thanksgiving 

The fi rst Thanksgiving feast was held in Massachusetts in 

1621. The Pilgrims who had traveled to this colony gave 

thanks for a successful fall harvest. They learned from local 

Native Americans, or Indians, which crops would grow 

and how best to grow them. The Indians’ lessons helped 

the Pilgrims to grow enough food to survive the winter. In 

1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed a bill that offi cially 

made the last Thursday of November Thanksgiving Day. 

Question 54: Who was the main writer of the Declaration 

of Independence? 

Answer 54: Thomas Jefferson 

Jefferson was a 

Virginia lawyer 

and planter when 

he wrote the 

Declaration in 1776. 

He would become 

a very important 

political leader 

and thinker. Before 

becoming President, 

he was the governor 

of Virginia and 

the fi rst U.S. 

Secretary of State. 

Jefferson strongly 

supported individual rights, especially freedom of religion. 

Because he wanted to protect these rights, Jefferson opposed 

a strong national government. Instead, he argued for states’ 

rights. He wanted America to be a nation of small farmers 

who actively participated in their democracy. 

Thomas Jefferson
★ For defi nitions of words that are in italics, please see the Civics Glossary in the back. ★ 9

Question 63: What did the Emancipation Proclamation 

do? 

Answer 63: The Emancipation Proclamation freed 

the slaves. 

President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 

the middle of the Civil War, in 1863. It freed the slaves in the 

rebelling Confederate states. In 1865, the northern soldiers, 

known as the Union soldiers, defeated the soldiers from the 

South, known as the Confederate soldiers. The bitter, bloody 

Civil War was over, and the Union had been preserved. 

Soon afterwards, the 13th Amendment made the abolition of 

slavery part of the Constitution.

Question 64: What special group advises the President? 

Answer 64: The Cabinet advises the President. 

The Constitution 

says that the leaders 

of the executive 

departments should 

advise the President. 

These department 

leaders, most of them 

called “Secretaries,” 

make up the Cabinet. 

Throughout history, 

Presidents have been 

able to change who 

makes up the Cabinet. 

For instance, when 

Congress created 

the Department of 

Homeland Security, President George W. Bush added the 

leader of this department to his Cabinet. 

Question 59: What is the minimum voting age in the 

United States? 

Answer 59: 18 is the minimum voting age. 

For most of U.S. history, Americans had to be at least 21 

years old to vote. By the 1970s, many people thought that if 

someone was old enough to fi ght in a war, he or she should 

be old enough to vote. So, in 1971 the 26th Amendment 

changed the minimum voting age to 18.

Question 60: Who signs bills into law? 

Answer 60: The President 

A bill is a proposed law being considered by Congress. 

Both parts of Congress—the Senate and the House of 

Representatives—must pass the same version of the bill. 

When they do so, the bill goes to the President to be signed 

into law. The President does, however, have veto power. This 

means that the President can reject a bill passed by Congress. 

If two-thirds of the House and two-thirds of the Senate vote 

to pass the bill again, though, the bill becomes a law. This 

process is called overriding the President’s veto.

Question 61: What is the highest court in the United 

States? 

Answer 61: The Supreme Court 

The U.S. Supreme Court exercises complete authority over 

all federal courts. It has the fi nal word on cases heard in 

federal court. The Supreme Court’s interpretations of federal 

laws and of the Constitution are fi nal. The Supreme Court is 

limited, though, in its power over states. It cannot interpret 

state law or state constitutions. The Court can, however, 

decide that a state law confl icts with federal law or the U.S. 

Constitution and is, thus, invalid. 

Question 62: Who was President during the Civil War? 

Answer 62: Abraham Lincoln 

We honor Abraham 

Lincoln because he 

led the nation during 

the Civil War, a very 

diffi cult time. The war 

began when a group of 

southern states, known as 

the Confederacy, tried to 

separate from the United 

States. They wanted to 

preserve slavery and their 

farm-based economic

 system. This system was 

 threatened by the 

northern states. Lincoln was a lawyer, legislator, and 

celebrated speaker before he was President. He became 

nationally famous for his debates with Senator Stephen A. 

The Lincoln Memorial in 

Washington, DC

 

Civil War Engineers in the Union Army

A meeting with the President in the 

Oval Offi ce

Douglas. These took place when Lincoln and Douglas ran 

against each other for Illinois’ U.S. Senate seat in 1858. 
10

Question 65: Which President is called the “Father of our 

Country”? 

Answer 65: George Washington 

Washington was a brave military general, a respected 

leader of the American Revolution, and our fi rst President. 

His leadership was very important during America’s 

transition from war and revolution to stability under the 

new government. After his victory over the British army, 

Washington retired. He reluctantly left this retirement 

when problems arose with the new country’s system of 

government. Washington helped lead the effort to create a 

new Constitution for the United States.

Question 66: Which President was the fi rst Commanderin-Chief of the U.S. Army and Navy? 

Answer 66: George Washington 

The writers of the Constitution argued over how much 

power the new President should have. They decided that 

the President should be limited in many ways, but that the 

President should be Commander-in-Chief of the military. 

During the Revolutionary War, George Washington had been 

supreme commander of the military. From this position, 

he led the U.S. forces to victory. This helped make him a 

unanimous choice to be the fi rst President and Commander-inChief.

Question 67: What was the 50th state to be added to our 

Union (the United States)? 

Answer 67: Hawaii 

Hawaii is the only state completely separated from the 

continent of North America. There are six major islands 

and many smaller ones in this state. Hawaii is located in 

the Pacifi c Ocean, about 2,400 miles from Los Angeles, 

California. The islands offi cially became a U.S. territory in 

1898. For many decades after this, Hawaiians pushed for 

Congress to make the territory a state. This fi nally happened 

in 1959. 

Question 68: Who helped the Pilgrims in America? 

Answer 68: The American Indians/Native Americans

At the time of the Pilgrims’ arrival, great Indian tribes such 

as the Navajo, Sioux, Cherokee, and Seminoles lived in 

America. When the Pilgrims came to America, they settled 

in an area where a tribe called the Wampanoag lived. The 

Wampanoag taught the Pilgrims important skills, such as 

how to grow corn, beans, and squash. As more Europeans 

moved to America, relations with the Indians were not 

always peaceful. Eventually, after much bloodshed, the settlers 

would defeat the Indian tribes and take much of their land. 

Question 69: What is the name of the ship that brought 

the Pilgrims to America? 

Answer 69: The Mayfl ower 

The Mayfl ower left from Plymouth, England, on 

September 6, 1620. After 65 days crossing the ocean, the 

ship landed in what is now the state of Massachusetts. Soon 

after, the Pilgrims signed an agreement. This was later called 

the Mayfl ower Compact. In it, the Pilgrims agreed to unite 

into a “civil body politic.” The Compact did not set up a 

governing system, as the Constitution later would. It did, 

however, contain the idea that the people freely agreed to 

live under the government. The power of this government 

came directly from the people themselves. 

Question 70: What were the 13 original states of the 

United States called before they were states? 

Answer 70: Colonies 

European countries began taking control of areas of 

America in the 1500s. These European-controlled areas were 

called colonies. England’s fi rst successful American colony 

was Virginia. Virginia began in 1607 as a small camp at 

Jamestown. Later in the century, Pennsylvania was founded 

as a home for a religious group, the Quakers. This group 

opposed war and rejected all rituals and oaths. The Dutch 

colony of New Netherlands was captured by British forces 

in 1664 and renamed New York. The 13 American colonies 

would later unite into one country, but the history of each 

one was quite distinct. 

Question 71: What group has the power to declare war? 

Answer 71: Congress has the power to declare war.

Congress has formally declared war eleven times. The Senate 

vote for war was very close two of these times. These close 

votes took place before the War of 1812 and the SpanishAmerican War. Congress has not declared war since the 

United States entered World War II, in 1941. However, seven 

times since then Congress has authorized military action. 

This step refl ects the democratic tradition of the legislative 

branch approving the President’s use of troops.

Question 72: Name the amendments that guarantee or address voting rights. 

Answer 72: The 15th, 19th, and 24th amendments 

The 19th Amendment 

gave women the ability 

to vote. It was a result 

of decades of hard 

work by the women’s 

rights movement. This 

was also known as 

the women’s suffrage 

movement. The 15th

Suffragette parade in New York City 

in 1912
★ For defi nitions of words that are in italics, please see the Civics Glossary in the back. ★ 11

Amendment was written after the Civil War and the end 

of slavery. It allowed all American men of all races to vote. 

Some leaders of southern states were upset that the 15th

Amendment allowed African-Americans to vote. These 

leaders designed fees called “poll taxes” to stop them from 

voting. The 24th Amendment made it illegal to stop someone 

from voting because he or she did not pay a poll tax.

Question 73: In what year was the Constitution written? 

Answer 73: The Constitution was written in 1787.

Before the U.S. Constitution, the Articles of Confederation 

was the document that established the U.S. system of 

government. The Articles were ratifi ed in 1783. By 1786, 

many American leaders had become unhappy with this 

document. The national government it set up was simply 

too weak. In 1787, Congress decided that a convention 

would meet in Philadelphia to revise the Articles. At this 

meeting, the leaders quickly decided to go beyond revising 

the Articles. Instead, they wrote a whole new governing 

document—the Constitution.

Question 74: What are the fi rst 10 amendments to the 

Constitution called? 

Answer 74: The Bill of Rights 

The fi rst ten Amendments to the Constitution, ratifi ed in 

1791, became known as the Bill of Rights. The Bill, using 

principles from the Declaration of Independence, guarantees 

the rights of individuals and limits government power. The 

fi rst eight Amendments set out individual rights, such as 

the freedom of expression, the right to bear arms, freedom 

from search without warrant, freedom to not be tried twice 

for the same crime, the right to not testify against yourself, 

the right to trial by jury of peers, right to an attorney, and 

protection against excessive fi nes and unusual punishments. 

The last two Amendments in the Bill of Rights are concerned 

with the rights of the people in their relationship with the 

state and federal governments. 

Question 75: Whose rights are guaranteed by the 

Constitution and the Bill of Rights? 

Answer 75: All people living in the United States 

One reason that millions of immigrants have come to 

America is this guarantee of rights. By the 5th Amendment, 

everyone in the United States is guaranteed equal protection 

under the law. This is true no matter what color your skin is, 

what language you speak, or what religion you practice. The 

14th Amendment, ratifi ed after the Civil War, expanded this 

guarantee of rights. No state would be able to abridge, or 

block, the rights of any of its citizens. 

Question 76: What is the introduction to the Constitution 

called? 

Answer 76: The Preamble

The preamble says: “We the People of the United States, in 

Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure 

domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, 

promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of 

Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish 

this Constitution for the United States of America.” This 

means that our government has been set up by the people, 

so that it can be responsive to them and protect their rights. 

All power to govern comes from the people, who are the 

highest power. This idea is known as “popular sovereignty.” 

The Preamble of the Constitution

Question 77: Who meets in the U.S. Capitol building? 

Answer 77: Congress 

In 1791, an area between Maryland and Virginia was chosen 

to be the new capital city. French engineer Pierre L’Enfant 

was hired to plan the city. While L’Enfant chose the hill on 

which to build the Capitol building, he was not the one to 

actually design the building. A doctor, William Thornton, sent 

in the successful plan for the Capitol. President Washington 

approved this design in 1793. Congress fi rst met in the 

Capitol building in November of 1800. 

Question 78: What is the name of the President’s offi cial 

home? 

Answer 78: The White House

The White House was built between 1792 and 1800. 

President George Washington helped choose its exact 

location and supervised its construction, but never actually 

lived there. America’s second President, John Adams, was the 

The White House in Washington, DC
12

fi rst to live in the White House. Fourteen years after it was 

built, the White House was burned by British troops during 

the War of 1812. Another destructive fi re took place there in 

1929, when Herbert Hoover was President. 

Question 79: Where is the White House located? 

Answer 79: Washington, DC

When the Constitution established our nation in 1789, the 

city of Washington did not exist. At that time, the capital was 

New York City. Congress soon began discussing the location 

of a permanent capital city. Within Congress, representatives 

of northern states fought bitterly against representatives of 

southern states. Each side wanted the capital to be in their 

region. Finally, with the Compromise of 1790, the north 

agreed to let the capital be in the south. In return, the north 

was relieved of some of the debt that they owed from the 

Revolutionary War. 

by the people, rather than a professional military leader. By 

1973, many in Congress felt that the President was using his 

power as Commander-in-Chief wrongly. They thought that 

the legislative branch was being ignored, which harmed 

checks and balances. So Congress passed the War Powers 

Act, which strengthens the role of Congress in the use of 

U.S. troops. President Richard Nixon vetoed this bill, but 

Congress overrode his veto. 

Question 82: In what month do we vote for the President? 

Answer 82: November 

The Constitution did not set a standard national election day. 

There was no specifi ed day until 1845. Even then, Congress 

did not set an exact date for elections. Rather, Congress set 

the Tuesday after the fi rst Monday in November as Election 

Day. They chose Tuesday so that voters had a full day after 

Sunday to travel to the polls. At that time, for religious 

reasons, many Americans considered Sunday to be a strict 

day of rest. Travel on this day was not allowed. 

Question 83: In what month is the new President 

inaugurated? 

Answer 83: January 

Before 1933, Presidents were inaugurated on March 4th. This 

meant that there were four months between when new 

Presidents were elected and when they took offi ce. This gave 

the new President enough time to make the long journey 

to Washington, DC. By the 1930s, with the invention of 

automobiles and speedy trains, it was much faster to travel. The 

20th Amendment offi cially changed the date of inauguration 

to January 20th. Franklin Roosevelt was the fi rst President 

inaugurated on this date.

Question 84: How many times may a Senator or 

Congressman be re-elected? 

Answer 84: There is no limit. 

Several states, such as California, 

have term limits for members of 

their state legislature. Also, 

several states have considered 

limiting the number of terms 

that their U.S. Senators and 

Representatives can serve. In 1995, 

the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that 

no state can do this. The Court 

stated that such a practice would 

weaken the national character of 

Congress. The only way that Congressional terms could be 

limited is through an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

A session of the Senate

Question 80: Name one right or freedom guaranteed by 

the fi rst amendment. 

Answer 80: The rights of freedom of speech, of religion, 

of assembly, and to petition the Government 

These 1st Amendment rights are all part of a citizen’s 

freedom of expression. Protecting free expression promotes 

open dialogue and debate on public issues, which is at 

the heart of democracy. Similarly, the free fl ow of ideas 

facilitates peaceful change and advances knowledge. Also 

in the 1st Amendment, freedom of religion has two parts. 

It blocks Congress from setting up an offi cial U.S. religion, 

and it protects citizens’ rights to hold any religious belief, 

or none at all. 

Question 81: Who is Commander-in-Chief of the United 

States military? 

Answer 81: The President 

Making the President the Commander-in-Chief shows the 

Founding Fathers’ commitment to democratic ideals. This is 

because the head of the armed forces is a civilian chosen 

A view of Washington, DC, from Virginia, across the Potomac River. 

The view shows the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, 

and the Capitol.
★ For defi nitions of words that are in italics, please see the Civics Glossary in the back. ★ 13

Question 85: What are the two major political 

parties in the United States today? 

Answer 85: The Democratic and Republican parties

The Constitution did not establish political parties, and 

President George Washington specifi cally warned against 

them. Still, a split between two political groups, the 

Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists, appeared early 

in U.S. history. The current Democratic Party was created 

from the old Democratic-Republicans by President Andrew 

Jackson. The Republican Party took over from the Whigs as 

a major party in the 1860s. Abraham Lincoln, who was 

fi rst elected in 1860, was the fi rst Republican President. 

Throughout U.S. history, other parties, such as the KnowNothing, Bull-Moose (also called “Progressive”), Reform, 

and Green Parties, have played various roles in American 

politics. 

Question 86: What is the executive branch of our 

government? 

Answer 86: The President, the Cabinet, and departments 

under the cabinet members

The job of the executive branch is to carry out, or execute, 

the laws of the nation. While the Constitution does discuss 

the Cabinet, it does not say what each federal department 

or agency should do. Throughout U.S. history, Congress has 

established the specifi c functions of these organizations. The 

State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and 

Environmental Protection Agency are three examples.

Question 87: Where does freedom of speech come from? 

Answer 87: The Bill of Rights 

Freedom of speech is a very important civil liberty. The 

very fi rst section of the Bill of Rights, the 1st Amendment, 

guarantees this freedom. “Speech” can mean writing, 

performing, or other ways of expressing yourself. Americans 

have the basic right to express their views on any subject. 

This is true even if the government disagrees with these 

views. However, in certain very specifi c situations, freedom 

of expression is limited. For example, no one can shout 

“fi re!” in a theater and cause panic.

Question 88: What U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services form is used to apply for 

naturalized citizenship? 

Answer 88: Form N-400 (Application for 

Naturalization) 

The Constitution did not clearly set up a naturalization process. 

It gave Congress the power to create “a uniform Rule of 

Naturalization.” Beginning in 1790, Congress passed laws 

to govern naturalization. Since then, Congress has changed 

this process many times. The naturalization exam is a very 

important part of the current process. 

Question 89: What kind of government does the United 

States have? 

Answer 89: A Republic 

In a republic, the power that the government exercises 

comes from the people themselves. Government is therefore 

responsible for protecting the rights of all persons, not just 

a few special people. The way this happens in the United 

States is through a system of representative democracy. The 

people freely choose who will lead them and represent their 

interests. President Abraham Lincoln said our republican 

government is “of the people, by the people, and for the 

people.” 

Question 90: Name one of the purposes of the United 

Nations. 

Answer 90: For countries to discuss and try to resolve 

world problems or to provide economic aid 

to many countries 

The United 

Nations, often 

called the U.N., 

was established 

in 1945, soon 

after World War 

II ended. The 

Charter of the 

United Nations 

names the main 

functions of the 

U.N.: “to maintain 

international peace and security...to develop friendly 

relations among nations...(and) to achieve international 

cooperation in solving international problems.” The 

two best-known parts of the U.N. are the General Assembly, 

made up of over 190 countries, and the Security Council, 

with only ten countries. The United States is one of fi ve 

countries that is a permanent member of the Security 

Council. The President has the power to choose the 

Ambassador of the United States to the United Nations. The 

Senate must then confi rm this choice. 

Question 91: Name one benefi t of being a citizen of the 

United States. 

Answer 91: To obtain Federal government jobs, to travel 

with a U.S. passport, or to petition for close 

relatives to come to the United States to live 

Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Earl Warren 

once said citizenship is “nothing less than the right to have 

rights.” Some of the most important of these are the rights 

to choose your job, speak freely about your beliefs, and even 

disagree with government policies, if you so desire. At the 

same time, citizen responsibilities include obeying the law, 

voting, and serving on juries. Responsible citizens also take 
14

part in their communities. This can mean joining the Parent 

Teacher Association (PTA) of your child’s school, running 

for a position on the local school board, or volunteering to 

help at a polling station. 

Question 92: Can the Constitution be changed? 

Answer 92: Yes, the Constitution can be changed. 

One of the great things about the U.S. Constitution is that 

it is fl exible, and can be changed. It is changed through 

an addition called an Amendment. This is why we often 

refer to it as the “living Constitution.” The Constitution’s 

writers wisely decided that Amendments should be rare. 

Because of this, the Amendment process is diffi cult. Still, 

the Constitution has been changed 27 times, with the most 

recent Amendment added in 1992.

Question 93: What is the most important right granted to 

United States citizens? 

Answer 93: The right to vote 

No American is required 

by law to vote, but 

exercising your right to 

vote is a very important 

part of citizenship. 

This is the case in any 

democracy. Only by 

voting can your voice 

be heard. By voting, you 

actively commit yourself 

to the democratic 

process. Citizens vote to 

be represented by leaders 

who share their ideas 

and stand up for their 

interests. Constitutional 

Amendments such as the 

15th (former slaves can 

vote) and 19th (women 

can vote) greatly 

improved our democracy. 

They did this by allowing 

more groups of citizens to vote.

Question 94: What is the White House? 

Answer 94: The President’s offi cial home 

The building was not offi cially known as the White House 

until 1901, when Theodore Roosevelt was President. 

Before then, it was also called the “President’s Palace,” the 

“President’s House,” and the “Executive Mansion.” The 

current look of the White House comes from a renovation 

that happened when Harry Truman was President. 

Question 95: What is the United States Capitol? 

Answer 95: The place where Congress meets

When Congress moved into the Capitol in 1800, much of 

the construction of interior rooms had not been fi nished. It 

took two more years before Congress set aside funding to 

complete the construction. Soon after, when British troops 

invaded Washington during the War of 1812, they set fi re 

to the Capitol. Luckily, a heavy rainstorm saved the building 

from being burnt all the way down. Rebuilding of the 

massive Capitol was not completed until 1829.

Question 96: How many branches are there in the United 

States government? 

Answer 96: There are 3 branches

The writers of the Constitution believed that no one group 

in government should have total power. They thought that 

any person or group that has total power over government 

normally abuses it. In creating the U.S. system, they followed 

the idea of separation of powers. Along with checks and 

balances among the parts of government, the separation of 

powers into three branches prevents concentration of power. 

This means that the rights of citizens are better protected. 

The powers to make laws, to execute laws, and to interpret 

the laws are given to different branches. These are the 

legislative, executive, and judicial branches. 

USCIS has used the following photo with the permission of the Offi ce of the 

Curator, the Supreme Court of the United States:

West Facade of the Supreme Court by Fran Jantzen, Collection of the Supreme Court 

of the United States.

Photos of Engineers of the 8th New York State Militia, 1861, No. ILL-B-499, and 

“TBF (Avengers) fl ying in formation over Norfolk, Va.” (World War II airplanes) 

Attributed to Lt. Comdr. Horace Bristol, September 1942. 80-G-427475 are 

courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.
★ For defi nitions of words that are in italics, please see the Civics Glossary in the back. ★ 15

26) Equality—The idea that all humans have the same rights, and 

that none are worse or lower than others simply because of 

their skin color or ethnic background.

27) To execute—To carry out; to turn a written rule into an 

action.

28) Feast—A big, special meal, which is often held to celebrate 

something; banquet.

29) Federal—Having to do with the national, or central, government, rather than the government of a specifi c state.

30) Federalist Papers—85 essays that were printed in New York 

newspapers while that state was deciding whether or not 

to support the U.S. Constitution. The essays were written by 

Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in 1787 

and 1788 and explained why New Yorkers should support the 

Constitution.

31) Fiery—Intense and forceful; passionate.

32) Founding Fathers—The men who wrote the U.S. 

Constitution. They created, or “founded,” our system of 

government.

33) To govern—To set rules that people have to follow; to use 

political power to lead or to administer.

34) Hardiness—Ability to survive diffi culties and keep going.

35) Harvest—The food that farmers get from the crops they have 

been growing during the summer. 

36) Ideals—Basic principles or morals, which often discuss how 

a society should operate.

37) Inaugurated—To have gone through the ceremony of becoming President, known as “inauguration.”

38) Invade—To enter somewhere by force, using the military; to 

march into a place that belongs to your enemy.

39) Jury—Group of citizens that listens to a case in court and 

makes a decision about the case; each U.S. citizen is called 

from time to time to serve on a jury. 

40) Justice 1—Fairness; the state of being morally good.

41) Justice 2—Another word for a “judge,” used especially for the 

judges who are members of the Supreme Court.

42) Legislative—Having to do with making laws; often refers to 

the group of elected offi cials, such as the U.S. Congress, who 

get together to make laws.

43) Liberties—Special freedoms or rights. 

44) Lofty—Very high or elevated; grand.

45) National Census—An offi cial count of the number of persons 

living in a country. 

46) Naturalization—The process by which a foreigh-born person can become a United States citizen.

47) Noble—Having very good qualities, excellent.

48) Nominee—A person who is selected—or “nominated”—for 

an important government position. 

49) Oath—A promise or vow; a pledge.

50) Perseverance—Never giving up and always going ahead.

51) Pilgrims—English settlers who came to America long ago 

and set up communities. 

Civics Glossary

1) The Allies—The formal partnership of countries that fi rst 

opposed Germany during World War I and then formed once 

again to oppose the Axis countries during World War II. 

2) Ambassador—A person who offi cially represents a country 

somewhere outside that country. 

3) American Revolution—The struggle by which the United 

States won independence from Great Britain. It took place 

from 1775 to 1783. 

4) Abroad—Outside of one’s home country; in a foreign 

country. 

5) The Axis—The partnership, or alliance, of Germany, Italy, and 

Japan during World War II. The Axis opposed the Allies, which 

included the United States.

6) Bill—Legislation that has formally been introduced in 

Congress. 

7) Bloodshed—Violence that causes injuries or death; carnage.

8) Branch—A section or division of something; a part. 

9) Civil liberty—A freedom that involves limiting the power of 

the government over people. The individual freedoms mentioned in the Bill of Rights are often known as civil liberties.

10) Civil rights—Idea that all people of a nation or society should 

be treated equally. 

11) Civil rights movement—An organized effort that promoted 

equality, political rights, and fair treatment for all Americans, 

no matter what their skin color was. 

12) Colonies—Areas of land controlled by a foreign country. 

13) Compact—A formal agreement between two (or more) 

groups, which often is signed.

14) Compromise—When two groups of people with opposing 

views on some issue come to an agreement; a deal. 

15) To confi rm—When the Senate approves the President’s 

choice for an important government position.

16) Constellation—A group of stars in the night sky. 

17) Constituents—People who are represented by an elected offi cial. 

18) Debate—When people argue by presenting their different 

opinions about something.

19) Debt—Money that someone, or some government, owes to 

someone else.

20) Declaration—A statement of some idea or argument.

21) Declaration of war—Offi cial statement by one country that it 

is at war with another country (or countries).

22) Deliberate—Careful and methodical; taking time to think.

23) Democratic—Having to do with government by the people 

or the idea of political equality for all.

24) Domestic affairs—Things that go on within a country, or 

political issues that affect one country and its people; having 

nothing to do with foreign or international affairs. 

25) Equal—The exact same; identical.
16

To fi nd this and other educational materials for permanent residents, please 

visit the Offi ce of Citizenship website at http://uscis.gov/graphics/citizenship/

For more information on naturalization requirements, including information 

on the naturalization test, please visit http://uscis.gov

52) Planter—A farmer, especially one who operates a large farm 

called a “plantation.”

53) Polling station—Where people go to vote in elections.

54) Posterity—Future generations.

55) To protest—To publicly oppose or complain about something; to object to something.

56) To represent—To serve within government as the voice of 

the people who elected you. 

57) Republican—When a country’s political power comes from 

the citizens, not the rulers, and is put into use by representatives elected by the citizens.

58) Rights—Basic things that people can freely do; freedoms and 

privileges. 

59) Secretary of State—The government offi cial in charge of 

directing and supervising the foreign relations of the United 

States. He or she leads the main foreign policy agency of the 

United States, the Department of State. The Secretary of State 

is the highest-ranking head of a department in the President’s 

Cabinet. 

60) Segregation—Separation of citizens of different races. 

61) Senate President Pro Tempore—The Senator who, when 

the Vice President is not present, “presides over” the Senate. 

This means that he or she chooses which Senators can speak 

to the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is the Senator from 

the majority political party—the party which has the most 

Senators—who has served in the Senate for the longest time. 

62) Speaker of the House—The most powerful member of the 

House of Representatives, who always comes from the 

majority party—the party with the most Representatives. 

The Speaker “presides over” the House by deciding which 

Representatives can speak during debate and usually plays a 

very visible role in public. 

63) Speedy—Fast; done quickly.

64) Supreme—Highest; cannot be challenged; ultimate.

65) Temperate—Calm, composed, and reasonable; self-controlled.

66) Term—Length of time that a government leader serves before 

he or she must be elected once again. 

67) Term limits—A limit on the number of terms that a leader 

can be elected to serve. A term is the length of time that a 

government leader serves before he or she must be elected 

once again. 

68) Territory—New land controlled by a government; many 

states were U.S. territories before offi cially becoming states.

69) Treaty—A formal agreement between two (or more) countries; a pact.

70) Unanimous—When everyone in a group that is deciding 

something decides the same way.

71) Valor—Bravery in facing great danger, especially in battle. 

72) Vigilance—The state of being alert and watching out for danger.

73) Whigs—American political party of the 1800s. The party 

stood for business and banking interests and opposed Andrew 

Jackson and his Democratic Party. Four Presidents, all serving 

in the 1840s and 1850s, were Whigs.
The Offi ce of Citizenship would like to acknowledge the Center for Civic Education for 

their assistance in the development of this product. For more information on the Center and 

its products, visit http://www.civiced.org.
http://www.uscis.gov