Everything you need to pass your US Citizenship exam: key topics, the rules examiners test, and exam-style practice questions.
United States Naturalization Test · 80 topics · Updated 2026-10-24
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The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. It establishes the framework of the U.S. government and takes precedence over all other laws.
The Constitution sets up and defines the government and protects the basic rights of Americans. It creates the structure of government and limits its powers.
The idea of self-government is expressed in the first three words of the Constitution: 'We the People.' This signals that power comes from the people.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. They protect fundamental individual freedoms.
The First Amendment protects several rights and freedoms: speech, religion, assembly, press, and the right to petition the government.
The Declaration of Independence announced and declared our independence from Great Britain, stating that the United States is free.
The Declaration of Independence names the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as fundamental unalienable rights.
The rule of law means everyone, including leaders and government, must follow and obey the law. No one is above the law.
An amendment is a change or addition to the Constitution. The Constitution can be changed through the amendment process.
The Constitution has twenty-seven (27) amendments in total, including the ten in the Bill of Rights.
Freedom of religion means you can practice any religion, or choose not to practice a religion at all.
The economic system in the United States is a capitalist economy, also called a market economy.
The United States is a republic, specifically a constitution-based federal republic and a representative democracy. The supreme law of the land is the U.S. Constitution, which all other laws must follow.
The U.S. Constitution forms the government, defines the powers of government, defines the parts of government, and protects the rights of the people. Changes are made through amendments and the amendment process.
The Bill of Rights protects the basic rights of Americans and of people living in the United States. The U.S. Constitution has twenty-seven (27) amendments total.
The Declaration of Independence is important because it says America is free from British control, says all people are created equal, and identifies inherent rights and individual freedoms. It is the founding document that declared the American colonies free from Britain, and it contains the words 'Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.'
There are three branches of government so that one part does not become too powerful, providing checks and balances and separation of powers.
The Constitution begins with 'We the People,' representing self-government, popular sovereignty, consent of the governed, the idea that people should govern themselves, and an example of a social contract.
Important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution include equality, liberty, social contract, natural rights, limited government, and self-government.
The U.S. economic system is capitalism / a free market economy. The rule of law means everyone must follow the law, leaders and government must obey the law, and no one is above the law.
Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution, including the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Federalist Papers, Anti-Federalist Papers, Virginia Declaration of Rights, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, Mayflower Compact, and Iroquois Great Law of Peace.
The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the oldest written constitution in the world. It sets up the government and protects the basic rights of the American people. The leaders who wrote it are called the Founders.
The beginning of the Constitution is called the Preamble. It explains why the Founders wrote the Constitution and establishes self-government. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution: 'We the People.'
The first three sections of the Constitution set up the three branches of the federal government: the Legislative Branch (Congress), the Executive Branch (President), and the Judicial Branch (Supreme Court and other federal courts).
The Founders separated the powers of government so no one person or group could become too powerful. Each branch has different powers: the Legislative Branch (Congress) makes federal laws, the Executive Branch enforces federal laws, and the Judicial Branch reviews federal laws.
The fourth section explains how state governments are set up and how new states join. Each state has a legislative, executive, and judicial branch. Powers not given to the federal government are reserved to the states. State powers include providing protection/safety (police and fire) and education.
The fifth section explains how to change the Constitution. A change is called an amendment. An amendment must be approved by three-fourths of the states (38 of 50). There are 27 amendments to the Constitution.
The sixth section says the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Everyone in the United States must follow it. The rule of law means no one is above the law, and everyone must follow the law, including all levels of government.
The Constitution did not originally list individual rights. The first 10 amendments, added in 1791, are called the Bill of Rights and list basic rights of people living in the United States. Later amendments describe who can be a citizen and who can vote.
The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787 in Philadelphia at the Constitutional Convention. It is the oldest written constitution in the world. It sets up the government and protects the basic rights of people living in the United States.
The Preamble explains why the Founders wrote the Constitution and states that the people will have self-government rather than being governed by a king or queen. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution.
A change to the Constitution is called an amendment. There are 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are called the Bill of Rights and list basic rights.
The Constitution creates three branches: the Legislative Branch (Congress), the Executive Branch (President), and the Judicial Branch (Supreme Court). Congress has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
State governments also have branches led by a governor and hold certain powers such as providing protection, safety, and education.
The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The rule of law means everyone must follow the law and no one is above it.
The Constitution lists powers of the federal government, including protecting the people, creating an army to defend the nation, declaring war, making treaties with other countries, and printing money.
The seventh section says the people had to approve the Constitution. There were 13 original states; nine had to approve it. New Hampshire became the ninth state to approve in 1788, and all 13 approved by 1790.
The Constitution required approval by nine of the 13 original states. New Hampshire became the ninth to approve in 1788; all 13 approved by 1790.
The United States has two major mountain ranges: the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the Rocky Mountains in the west. The two longest rivers are the Mississippi River (running north to south through the middle of the country) and the Missouri River, which connects to the Mississippi and runs through several western states.
The capital of the United States is Washington, D.C. It is named after George Washington, the first President and 'Father of Our Country.' 'D.C.' means District of Columbia. Washington, D.C. is not part of a state; it lies between Maryland and Virginia and is controlled by the federal government.
The United States has five territories: Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The country has 50 states plus Washington, D.C.
Certain powers belong only to the federal (national) government. These include monetary and foreign affairs powers.
Certain powers belong only to the states, focused on local services and licensing.
The 10th Amendment addresses the distribution of powers between federal and state governments.
Candidates must know their own state's governor and capital. Answers vary by residence.
The two major political parties in the United States are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The political party of the current President changes over time; candidates should check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for current information, as with the Speaker of the House.
Each U.S. state has a Governor as its chief executive and a capital city. Answers vary by state. District of Columbia residents note that D.C. has no Governor and is not a state, so it has no capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the territory's capital.
The government has three branches: legislative (Congress), executive (President), and judicial (the courts). Naming one branch answers the question.
Checks and balances and separation of powers stop one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
The President is in charge of the executive branch of the U.S. government.
Congress makes federal laws. Congress consists of the Senate and House of Representatives, forming the U.S. national legislature.
The U.S. Congress has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives (a bicameral legislature).
There are one hundred (100) U.S. Senators, two from each of the 50 states.
The House of Representatives has four hundred thirty-five (435) voting members.
We elect a President for a term of four (4) years.
Applicants must know the current President and Vice President of the United States. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for current names.
If the President can no longer serve, the Vice President becomes President. If both cannot serve, the Speaker of the House becomes President.
The President is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. military.
The President signs bills to become laws and also has the power to veto bills.
The judicial branch reviews and explains laws, resolves disputes, and decides if a law goes against the Constitution.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States.
The two major political parties in the United States are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
The three branches of government are legislative, executive, and judicial (Congress, the president, and the courts). The President is in charge of the executive branch.
The legislative branch (U.S. Congress / national legislature) writes laws. Congress has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Powers of Congress include writing laws, declaring war, and making the federal budget.
There are one hundred (100) U.S. senators, two per state, each serving a six-year term. Senators represent citizens/people of their state and are elected by citizens of their state. Two senators per state provides equal representation, established by the Great (Connecticut) Compromise.
The House has four hundred thirty-five (435) voting members, each serving two-year terms. Representatives serve shorter terms to more closely follow public opinion. They represent citizens in their congressional district and are elected by those citizens. States with larger populations have more representatives.
The President is elected for four (4) years and can serve only two terms because of the 22nd Amendment, which keeps the president from becoming too powerful. The current President and Vice President names are found at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
The president signs bills into law, vetoes bills, enforces laws, is Commander in Chief of the military, is chief diplomat, and appoints federal judges. The president signs bills to become laws and vetoes bills.
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and federal courts. It reviews and explains laws, resolves disputes about the law, and decides if a law goes against the Constitution. The Supreme Court is the highest court, with nine (9) seats; usually five (5) justices are needed to decide a case.
The Legislative Branch is Congress, which makes federal laws. It has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. States with more people have more representatives in the House, but every state has two Senators.
There are 435 voting members in the House of Representatives. Each state is divided into congressional districts, and each district elects one representative. California has the most (52); Wyoming has the fewest (one). Members are elected every two years and must be at least 25 years old.
There are 100 U.S. Senators, two from each state. Senators represent all the people of a state. They are elected for six years and must be at least 30 years old. Washington, D.C. has no senators because it is not a state.
A bill is a proposal for a new law. To pass, a majority of both the House and Senate must vote for it (218 in the House, 51 in the Senate). If both pass it, it goes to the President, who signs it into law or vetoes it. Congress can override a veto.
In 1607, England created its first permanent settlement in North America, called Jamestown, beginning the Colonial Period (1607–1775). Many colonists came seeking economic opportunities such as cheaper farmland and valuable metals like gold. Early years were difficult with deaths from hunger, disease, cold, and conflicts with Native Americans.
England created 13 colonies on the East Coast of North America. In 1620 the Pilgrims founded Massachusetts, many seeking religious freedom. In 1707, England and Scotland united to become Great Britain, so after 1707 the colonies were part of Great Britain. The Colonial Period ended when the colonies declared independence in 1776.
Four amendments to the Constitution address who can vote.
Some activities are limited to U.S. citizens only.
Everyone living in the U.S. has fundamental rights, regardless of citizenship.
The Pledge shows loyalty to the nation; new citizens make promises in the Oath of Allegiance.
There are multiple pathways to U.S. citizenship.
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