51 topics · Updated 2026-09-17
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.
We elect a U.S. Senator for a term of six (6) years.
Applicants must know one of their own state's current U.S. Senators. Answers vary by state. D.C. and territory residents have no U.S. Senators.
We elect a U.S. Representative for a term of two (2) years.
Applicants must name their own U.S. Representative. Answers vary; territory residents may name a Delegate/Resident Commissioner or state they have no voting Representative.
A U.S. Senator represents all the people of the state, not just one district.
Some states have more Representatives than others because of the state's population — states with more people have more Representatives.
We vote for President in the month of November.
The President's Cabinet advises the President on important matters and helps run executive departments.
Cabinet-level positions include the Secretaries of State, Defense, Treasury, and many others, plus the Attorney General and Vice President. Naming two is required.
Applicants must know the number of justices on the Supreme Court and the current Chief Justice. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for current answers.
Powers of the federal government include printing money, declaring war, creating an army, and making treaties.
Powers of the states include providing schooling/education, police protection, safety (fire departments), driver's licenses, and approving zoning and land use.
Applicants must know their current state Governor and state capital. Answers vary; D.C. residents note D.C. has no Governor and is not a state.
Applicants must know the current Speaker of the House of Representatives. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the current name.
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 Speaker of the House, your U.S. senators, and your U.S. representative vary by time and location. Answers must reflect officials serving at the time of the interview; check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the current Speaker.
The executive branch includes the President, the Cabinet, and federal departments and agencies. The Cabinet advises the President. Cabinet-level positions include the Attorney General and various Secretaries (State, Treasury, Defense/War, etc.).
The Electoral College is important because it decides who is elected president and provides a compromise between the popular election of the president and congressional selection.
Supreme Court justices serve for life (lifetime appointment until retirement) to be independent of politics and limit outside political influence. The current Chief Justice name is at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
Powers only for the federal government include printing money, minting coins, declaring war, creating an army, making treaties, and setting foreign policy. Powers only for states include schooling, police protection, fire safety, driver's licenses, and zoning. The 10th Amendment reserves powers not given to the federal government to the states or the people.
The governor of your state and your state capital vary by location. D.C. residents should note that D.C. has no governor and is not a state; territory residents name their territory's capital.
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.
The Legislative Branch, also called Congress, makes federal laws. Congress has two parts because states disagreed on representation.
The leader of the House of Representatives is called the Speaker of the House. Running for federal office is a right only for U.S. citizens.
One right that is only for U.S. citizens is to run for federal office, meaning candidates for Congress must be citizens.
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