by Yvette Cain
8/18/2019

We find ourselves experiencing yet another week when scheduling an interview with one of our elected board or committee chairs was not possible.  We hope to be back soon with another edition of Civics Sunday:  The Interviews.

In place of an interview, we bring you another selection of questions from the US Civics Test for citizenship.  The USCIS Civics Test is divided into three sections:  American Government, American History, and Integrated Civics. Here is a selection of another 15 questions (answers follow) to see the type of information needed to become a citizen. 

Of interest:  the civics test is only one part of the complete naturalization interview.  In addition to the civics test, an applicant must also complete and pass an English test that contains 3 segments:  a speaking test, a reading test, and a writing test. 

Below is your selection for today’s Civics Sunday.

Questions

1.    What does the Constitution do?

2.    What did the Declaration of Independence do?

3.   What is the economic system in the United States?

4.   Who makes federal laws?

5.   We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

6.   Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

7.   What does the judicial branch do?

8.  There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

9.   When was the Constitution written?

10.  What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

11.  What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

12.  Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

13.  Who did the United States fight in World War II?

14.  During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?

15.  Name one state that borders Canada.

Answers

1.      - sets up the government; defines the government; protects basic rights of Americans

2.      - announced our independence (from Great Britain); declared our independence (from Great Britain); said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)

3.      - capitalist economy; market economy

4.      -  Congress; Senate and House (of Representatives); (U.S. or national) legislature

5.      - two (2) years

6.      - (because of) the state’s population; (because) they have more people; (because) some states have more people

7.      - reviews laws; explains laws; resolves disputes (disagreements); decides if a law goes against the Constitution

8.      -  Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote);. You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote. Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote). A male citizen of any race (can vote).

9.      - 1787

10.   - U.S. diplomat; oldest member of the Constitutional Convention; first Postmaster General of the United States; writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”; started the first free libraries

11.   -  the Louisiana Territory; Louisiana

12.   -  slavery; economic reasons; states’ rights

13.   -  Japan, Germany, and Italy

14.   - Communism

15.    - Maine; New Hampshire; Vermont; New York; Pennsylvania; Ohio; Michigan; Minnesota; North Dakota; Montana; Idaho; Washington; Alaska

An invitation to our readers: 

Do you have a personal story of gaining your citizenship you’d like to share?  How did you land in Holliston?