All Questions and Answers
You can download a USCIS-issued list of all the questions by clicking here. <pdf>
Unit 1: Welcome to the United States
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What is the capital of the United States?
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What is the capital of your state?
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What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
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What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
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Name one state that borders Canada.
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Name one state that borders Mexico.
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Name one U.S. territory.
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Why does the flag have 50 stars?
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Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
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Where is the Statue of Liberty?
Unit 2: Early America and the Declaration of Independence
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Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
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Name on American Indian tribe of the United States.
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What is one reason colonists came to America?
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There were 13 original states. Name three.
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Why did the colonists fight the British?
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When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
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What did the Declaration of Independence do?
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When do we celebrate Independence Day?
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Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
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What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
Unit 3: The U.S. Constitution
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What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
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When was the Constitution written?
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What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
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What does the Constitution do?
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What is the supreme law of the land?
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The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
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The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
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Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
Unit 4: Three Branches of Government
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Name one branch or part of the government.
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What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
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What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
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Who makes federal laws?
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Who is in charge of the executive branch?
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Who signs bills to become laws?
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Who vetoes bills?
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What does the judicial branch do?
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What is the highest court in the United States?
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How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
Unit 5: A Representative Government
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How many U.S. Senators are there?
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We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
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Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
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The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
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Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
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We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
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Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
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We elect a President for how many years?
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What does the President's Cabinet do?
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What are two Cabinet-level positions?
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If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
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If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
Unit 6: Your Government Today
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In what month do we vote for President?
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What are the two major political parties in the United States?
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What is the name of the President of the United States now?
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What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
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What is the political party of the President now?
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Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators?
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Name your U.S. Representative.
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What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
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Who is the Governor of your state?
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Who is the Chief Justice of the United States?
Unit 7: Citizens' Rights and Amendments to the Constitution
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What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
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What is an amendment?
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How many amendments does the Constitution have?
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What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
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What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
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What is freedom of religion?
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What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
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What did Susan B. Anthony do?
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There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
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How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
Unit 8: One Nation or Two? The United States in the 1800s
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Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
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What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
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Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
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What is the name of the national anthem?
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Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
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Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
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What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
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What did the Emancipation Declaration do?
Unit 9: The 1900s, the World Changes
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What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
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What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
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Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
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Who was President during World War I?
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Who did the United States fight in World War II?
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Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
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Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
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During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
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What is the economic system in the United States?
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What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?
Unit 10: Democracy and You
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What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
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What are two rights only for United States citizens?
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What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
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What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
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What is the “rule of law”?
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When must all men register for the Selective Service?
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What is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
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What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
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Name two national U.S. holidays.
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Who was the first President?
Unit 1: Welcome to the United States
answers
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What is the capital of the United States?
Washington, D.C.
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What is the capital of your state?
The capital of New York is Albany.
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What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
Atlantic.
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What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
Pacific.
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Name one state that borders Canada.
Alaska.
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Name one state that borders Mexico.
California.
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Name one U.S. territory.
Puerto Rico.
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Why does the flag have 50 stars?
Because there is one star for each state.
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Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
Because there were thirteen original colonies.
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Where is the Statue of Liberty?
New York.
Unit 2: Early America and the Declaration of Independence
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Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
Native Americans.
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Name on American Indian tribe of the United States.
Pueblo.
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What is one reason colonists came to America?
Freedom.
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There were 13 original states. Name three.
New York, New Jersey, Connecticut.
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Why did the colonists fight the British?
Because of high taxes (taxation without representation).
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When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
July 4, 1776.
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What did the Declaration of Independence do?
Declared our independence from Great Britain.
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When do we celebrate Independence Day?
July 4.
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Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson.
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What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
Life and liberty.
Unit 3: The U.S. Constitution
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What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
Oldest member of the Constitutional Convention.
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When was the Constitution written?
1787.
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What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
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What does the Constitution do?
Sets up the government.
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What is the supreme law of the land?
The Constitution.
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The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
We the People.
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The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
James Madison.
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Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
George Washington.
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
To print money.
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
Schooling and education.
Unit 4: Three Branches of Government
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Name one branch or part of the government.
Legislative, executive, or judicial.
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What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Separation of powers. Also correct:
Checks and balances.
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What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
The Senate and the House of Representatives.
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Who makes federal laws?
Congress.
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Who is in charge of the executive branch?
The President.
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Who signs bills to become laws?
The President.
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Who vetoes bills?
The President.
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What does the judicial branch do?
Reviews laws. Also correct: Decides if a law goes against the Constitution.
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What is the highest court in the United States?
The Supreme Court.
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How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
Nine.
Unit 5: A Representative Government
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How many U.S. Senators are there?
One Hundred.
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We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
Six.
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Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
All people of the state.
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The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
Four hundred and thirty five.
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Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
Because some states have more people.
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We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
Two.
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Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
The President.
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We elect a President for how many years?
Four.
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What does the President's Cabinet do?
Advise the President.
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What are two Cabinet-level positions?
Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Education.
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If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
The Vice President.
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If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
The Speaker of the House.
Unit 6: Your Government Today
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In what month do we vote for President?
November.
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What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican.
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What is the name of the President of the United States now?
Barack Obama.
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What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
Joe Biden.
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What is the political party of the President now?
Democratic.
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Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators?
[For New York the answer is Kirsten Gillibrand or Charles Schumer. Other answers will vary.]
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Name your U.S. Representative.
[Answers will vary. You can identify your U.S. Representative at www.house.gov or by calling the U.S. House of Representatives at (202) 224-3121.]
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What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
The Speaker of the House is John Boehner.
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Who is the Governor of your state?
The Governor of New York is Andrew Cuomo.
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Who is the Chief Justice of the United States?
John Roberts.
Unit 7: Citizens' Rights and Amendments to the Constitution
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What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
The Bill of Rights.
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What is an amendment?
A change to the Constitution.
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How many amendments does the Constitution have?
Twenty-seven.
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What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
Freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
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What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
Freedom of speech.
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What is freedom of religion?
You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
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What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
Africans.
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What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Fought for women's rights.
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There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
Citizens eighteen and older can vote.
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How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
Eighteen and older.
Unit 8: One Nation or Two? The United States in the 1800s
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Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
The Civil War.
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What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
The Louisiana Territory
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Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
The Mississippi.
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What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner.
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Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
Slavery.
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Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
The Civil War.
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What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
Freed the slaves.
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What did the Emancipation Declaration do?
Freed the slaves.
Unit 9: The 1900s, the World Changes
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What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
Civil Rights movement.
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What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
Fought for civil rights.
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Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
World War I.
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Who was President during World War I?
Woodrow Wilson.
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Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Japan, Germany and Italy.
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Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
Franklin Roosevelt.
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Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
World War II.
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During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
Communism.
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What is the economic system in the United States?
Capitalist economy.
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What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?
Terrorists attacked the United States.
Unit 10: Democracy and You
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What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
Vote and run for office.
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What are two rights only for United States citizens?
Vote and run for office.
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What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
Vote.
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What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
Obey the laws of the United States.
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What is the “rule of law”?
Everyone must follow the law.
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When must all men register for the Selective Service?
At age 18.
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What is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
April 15.
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What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
The flag or the United States.
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Name two national U.S. holidays.
Christmas and New Year's Day.
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Who was the first President?
George Washington.