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Naturalization test questions: American history study cards
Free naturalization test questions on American history: 46 of the 128 US citizenship test questions on the official USCIS list, each with the answers USCIS accepts. The officer asks up to 20 and you need 12 right. The test is spoken, so say your answer out loud before you turn the card.
Test: 2025 civics test
Which test are you taking?
It depends on when you filed Form N-400.
- 2025 civics test
- Form N-400 filed on or after 20 October 2025. Up to 20 questions from a list of 128, 12 right to pass.
- 2008 civics test
- Form N-400 filed before 20 October 2025. Up to 10 questions from a list of 100, 6 right to pass.
Card 1 of 46
The colonists came to America for many reasons. Name one.
Say your answer out loud, then turn the card.
Card 1 of 46
Freedom
Also accepted: Political liberty; Religious freedom; Economic opportunity; Escape persecution.
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Civics test questions and answers: American history
All 70 citizenship questions in this group, from the 2025 list and the 2008 list, with every answer USCIS accepts and the lists each question is on. The cards above use the same words.
Every card in this group (text version)
The colonists came to America for many reasons. Name one.
- Freedom
- Political liberty
- Religious freedom
- Economic opportunity
- Escape persecution
People came to the American colonies for freedom, including religious freedom, for economic opportunity and to escape persecution (unfair treatment). Any one of these is accepted.
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
- American Indians
- Native Americans
American Indians, also called Native Americans, lived in America for thousands of years before Europeans arrived.
What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?
- Africans
- People from Africa
Millions of Africans were taken by force, brought to America and sold as slaves. Slavery ended in the United States in 1865.
What war did the Americans fight to win independence from Britain?
- American Revolution
- The (American) Revolutionary War
- War for (American) Independence
In the American Revolution (1775 to 1783), the colonies fought Britain and won their independence.
Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.
- High taxes
- Taxation without representation
- British soldiers stayed in Americans’ houses (boarding, quartering)
- They did not have self-government
- Boston Massacre
- Boston Tea Party (Tea Act)
- Stamp Act
- Sugar Act
- Townshend Acts
- Intolerable (Coercive) Acts
The colonists were angry about taxes passed without their consent, British soldiers in their homes and having no self-government. Any one reason from the list is accepted.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- (Thomas) Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He later became the third president.
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
- July 4, 1776
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Americans celebrate this day as Independence Day.
The American Revolution had many important events. Name one.
- (Battle of) Bunker Hill
- Declaration of Independence
- Washington Crossing the Delaware (Battle of Trenton)
- (Battle of) Saratoga
- Valley Forge (Encampment)
- (Battle of) Yorktown (British surrender at Yorktown)
Name any one event from the list. For example, the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781 led to the end of the war.
There were 13 original states. Name five.
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
The 13 original states were the former British colonies on the East Coast. Name any five of them.
What founding document was written in 1787?
- (U.S.) Constitution
The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
- (James) Madison
- (Alexander) Hamilton
- (John) Jay
- Publius
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers together, using the shared name Publius. Any one of these answers is accepted.
Why were the Federalist Papers important?
- They helped people understand the (U.S.) Constitution.
- They supported passing the (U.S.) Constitution.
The Federalist Papers were essays that explained the new Constitution and asked people to support it.
Benjamin Franklin is famous for many things. Name one.
- Founded the first free public libraries
- First Postmaster General of the United States
- Helped write the Declaration of Independence
- Inventor
- U.S. diplomat
Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, a writer and a diplomat. Any one fact from the list is accepted.
George Washington is famous for many things. Name one.
- “Father of Our Country”
- First president of the United States
- General of the Continental Army
- President of the Constitutional Convention
George Washington led the Continental Army in the Revolution, led the Constitutional Convention and became the first president. Any one fact from the list is accepted.
Thomas Jefferson is famous for many things. Name one.
- Writer of the Declaration of Independence
- Third president of the United States
- Doubled the size of the United States (Louisiana Purchase)
- First Secretary of State
- Founded the University of Virginia
- Writer of the Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and became the third president. As president he bought the Louisiana Territory, which doubled the size of the country.
James Madison is famous for many things. Name one.
- “Father of the Constitution”
- Fourth president of the United States
- President during the War of 1812
- One of the writers of the Federalist Papers
James Madison is called the “Father of the Constitution” because he helped plan and write it. He became the fourth president.
Alexander Hamilton is famous for many things. Name one.
- First Secretary of the Treasury
- One of the writers of the Federalist Papers
- Helped establish the First Bank of the United States
- Aide to General George Washington
- Member of the Continental Congress
Alexander Hamilton helped George Washington during the Revolution and became the first Secretary of the Treasury. Any one fact from the list is accepted.
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
- Louisiana Territory
- Louisiana
In 1803 the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France. This Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the country.
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
- War of 1812
- Mexican-American War
- Civil War
- Spanish-American War
In the 1800s the United States fought the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. Any one is accepted.
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
- The Civil War
The Civil War (1861 to 1865) was fought between the Northern states (the Union) and the Southern states (the Confederacy).
The Civil War had many important events. Name one.
- (Battle of) Fort Sumter
- Emancipation Proclamation
- (Battle of) Vicksburg
- (Battle of) Gettysburg
- Sherman’s March
- (Surrender at) Appomattox
- (Battle of) Antietam/Sharpsburg
- Lincoln was assassinated.
Name any one event from the list. The war began at Fort Sumter in 1861 and ended with the surrender at Appomattox in 1865.
Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one.
- Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
- Saved (or preserved) the Union
- Led the United States during the Civil War
- 16th president of the United States
- Delivered the Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president and led the country through the Civil War. He kept the Union together and issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves.
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
- Freed the slaves
- Freed slaves in the Confederacy
- Freed slaves in the Confederate states
- Freed slaves in most Southern states
The Emancipation Proclamation (1863) declared freedom for slaves in the Confederate states. The 13th Amendment ended slavery in the whole country in 1865.
What U.S. war ended slavery?
- The Civil War
The North’s victory in the Civil War ended slavery. The 13th Amendment (1865) made slavery illegal everywhere in the country.
What amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens?
- 14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment (1868) says that people born or naturalized in the United States are citizens.
When did all men get the right to vote?
- After the Civil War
- During Reconstruction
- (With the) 15th Amendment
- 1870
After the Civil War, the 15th Amendment (1870) said that men of any race could vote.
Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s.
- Susan B. Anthony
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton
- Sojourner Truth
- Harriet Tubman
- Lucretia Mott
- Lucy Stone
These leaders worked for women’s rights, including the right to vote. Name any one of them.
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
- World War I
- World War II
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- (Persian) Gulf War
In the 1900s the United States fought in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Any one is accepted.
Why did the United States enter World War I?
- Because Germany attacked U.S. (civilian) ships
- To support the Allied Powers (England, France, Italy, and Russia)
- To oppose the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria)
The United States joined World War I in 1917 after German submarines attacked American ships. It fought with the Allies against the Central Powers.
When did all women get the right to vote?
- 1920
- After World War I
- (With the) 19th Amendment
Women won the right to vote in 1920 with the 19th Amendment, soon after World War I.
What was the Great Depression?
- Longest economic recession in modern history
The Great Depression was a long period of very hard times in the 1930s, when many businesses failed and millions of people lost their jobs.
When did the Great Depression start?
- The Great Crash (1929)
- Stock market crash of 1929
The Great Depression began with the stock market crash of 1929.
Who was president during the Great Depression and World War II?
- (Franklin) Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt was president from 1933 to 1945, through the Great Depression and most of World War II.
Why did the United States enter World War II?
- (Bombing of) Pearl Harbor
- Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor
- To support the Allied Powers (England, France, and Russia)
- To oppose the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan)
Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The United States then joined the Allies against Germany, Italy and Japan.
Dwight Eisenhower is famous for many things. Name one.
- General during World War II
- President at the end of (during) the Korean War
- 34th president of the United States
- Signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (Created the Interstate System)
Dwight Eisenhower was a top general in World War II and became the 34th president. He signed the law that built the Interstate highway system.
Who was the United States’ main rival during the Cold War?
- Soviet Union
- USSR
- Russia
During the Cold War, the main rival of the United States was the Soviet Union (USSR). Russia was by far the largest part of the Soviet Union.
During the Cold War, what was one main concern of the United States?
- Communism
- Nuclear war
During the Cold War the United States worried about communism spreading and about the danger of nuclear war.
Why did the United States enter the Korean War?
- To stop the spread of communism
The United States entered the Korean War (1950 to 1953) to stop the spread of communism.
Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War?
- To stop the spread of communism
The United States fought in the Vietnam War to stop the spread of communism.
What did the civil rights movement do?
- Fought to end racial discrimination
The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s fought to end unfair treatment of people because of their race.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for many things. Name one.
- Fought for civil rights
- Worked for equality for all Americans
- Worked to ensure that people would “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader of the civil rights movement who worked for equality. The quoted words come from his “I Have a Dream” speech of 1963.
Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War?
- To force the Iraqi military from Kuwait
In 1991 the United States led a group of countries that forced Iraq’s army out of Kuwait.
What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?
- Terrorists attacked the United States
- Terrorists took over two planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City
- Terrorists took over a plane and crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia
- Terrorists took over a plane originally aimed at Washington, D.C., and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania
On September 11, 2001, terrorists took over four planes and attacked the United States. Nearly 3,000 people died.
Name one U.S. military conflict after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
- (Global) War on Terror
- War in Afghanistan
- War in Iraq
After the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States fought the War on Terror, including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Any one is accepted.
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
- Apache
- Blackfeet
- Cayuga
- Cherokee
- Cheyenne
- Chippewa
- Choctaw
- Creek
- Crow
- Hopi
- Huron
- Inupiat
- Lakota
- Mohawk
- Mohegan
- Navajo
- Oneida
- Onondaga
- Pueblo
- Seminole
- Seneca
- Shawnee
- Sioux
- Teton
- Tuscarora
Many American Indian tribes live in the United States. Name any one from the list; for a complete list, USCIS points to bia.gov.
Name one example of an American innovation.
- Light bulb
- Automobile (cars, internal combustion engine)
- Skyscrapers
- Airplane
- Assembly line
- Landing on the moon
- Integrated circuit (IC)
Americans created many important inventions, such as the light bulb, the airplane and the assembly line, and they were first to land people on the moon. Any one from the list is accepted.
What is one reason colonists came to America?
- freedom
- political liberty
- religious freedom
- economic opportunity
- practice their religion
- escape persecution
People came to the colonies for freedom, to practice their religion, for economic opportunity and to escape persecution (unfair treatment). Any one of these is accepted.
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
- Africans
- people from Africa
Millions of Africans were taken by force, brought to America and sold as slaves. Slavery ended in the United States in 1865.
Why did the colonists fight the British?
- because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
- because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
- because they didn’t have self-government
The colonists fought because of high taxes passed without their consent, British soldiers living in their houses and having no self-government. Any one of these is accepted.
There were 13 original states. Name three.
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
The 13 original states were the former British colonies on the East Coast. Name any three of them.
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
- The Constitution was written.
- The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
When was the Constitution written?
- 1787
The Constitution was written in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
- 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
Benjamin Franklin was a diplomat, a writer and the first Postmaster General. Any one fact from the list is accepted.
Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
- (George) Washington
George Washington is called the “Father of Our Country”. He led the army in the Revolution and was the first President.
Who was the first President?
- (George) Washington
George Washington was the first President, from 1789 to 1797.
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
- the Louisiana Territory
- Louisiana
In 1803 the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France. This Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the country.
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
- the Civil War
- the War between the States
The Civil War (1861 to 1865) was fought between the Northern and the Southern states. It is also called the War between the States.
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
- slavery
- economic reasons
- states’ rights
Slavery, economic differences and arguments about states’ rights led to the Civil War. Any one of these is accepted.
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
- freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
- saved (or preserved) the Union
- led the United States during the Civil War
Abraham Lincoln led the country through the Civil War, kept the Union together and issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves.
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
- freed the slaves
- freed slaves in the Confederacy
- freed slaves in the Confederate states
- freed slaves in most Southern states
The Emancipation Proclamation (1863) declared freedom for slaves in the Confederate states. The 13th Amendment ended slavery in the whole country in 1865.
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
- fought for women’s rights
- fought for civil rights
Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s rights, especially the right to vote, and for civil rights.
Who was President during World War I?
- (Woodrow) Wilson
Woodrow Wilson was President during World War I.
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
- (Franklin) Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt was President from 1933 to 1945, through the Great Depression and most of World War II.
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
- Japan, Germany, and Italy
In World War II the United States fought Japan, Germany and Italy.
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
- World War II
Dwight Eisenhower was a top general in World War II before he became President.
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
- Communism
During the Cold War the United States was most worried about communism spreading around the world.
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
- civil rights (movement)
The civil rights movement worked to end unfair treatment of people because of their race.
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
- fought for civil rights
- worked for equality for all Americans
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader of the civil rights movement. He fought for civil rights and equality for all Americans.
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
- Terrorists attacked the United States.
On September 11, 2001, terrorists took over four planes and attacked the United States. Nearly 3,000 people died.
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
- Cherokee
- Navajo
- Sioux
- Chippewa
- Choctaw
- Pueblo
- Apache
- Iroquois
- Creek
- Blackfeet
- Seminole
- Cheyenne
- Arawak
- Shawnee
- Mohegan
- Huron
- Oneida
- Lakota
- Crow
- Teton
- Hopi
- Inuit
Many American Indian tribes live in the United States. Name any one; the officer has a list of federally recognized tribes to check your answer.
Test facts checked 23 October 2026 against the official page: USCIS, 2025 civics test.
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