Complete list of all 100 mock USCIS civics questions with correct answers, organized by category. Updated 2026, the same pool used at your naturalization interview.
The USCIS naturalization civics test uses a pool of 100 mock questions. At your interview, the officer will ask up to 10 of them aloud, you answer verbally. You need 6 correct to pass. The questions are published by USCIS and never change without mock notice; there are no trick questions or surprises outside this list.
USCIS civics test format
The civics test is oral, not written. The immigration officer reads questions aloud from the 100-question pool and records your verbal answers. If you answer 6 correctly before being asked all 10, the officer stops the civics portion. Some questions have multiple accepted answers, you only need to give one. Applicants aged 65 or older who have been a permanent resident for 20+ years take a reduced 20-question test (marked with an asterisk in the mock list).
American Government: Principles of American Democracy (Questions 1 to 12)
What is the supreme law of the land? The Constitution
What does the Constitution do? Sets up the government; defines the government; protects basic rights of Americans
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? We the People
What is an amendment? A change to the Constitution; an addition to the Constitution
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? The Bill of Rights
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? Speech; religion; assembly; press; petition the government
How many amendments does the Constitution have? Twenty-seven (27)
What did the Declaration of Independence do? Announced our independence from Great Britain; declared the United States is free from Great Britain
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence? Life; liberty; pursuit of happiness
What is freedom of religion? You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion
What is the economic system in the United States? Capitalist economy; market economy
What is the "rule of law"? Everyone must follow the law; leaders must obey the law; no one is above the law
American Government: System of Government (Questions 13 to 47)
Name one branch or part of the government. Congress / Legislative; President / Executive; the courts / Judicial
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? Checks and balances; separation of powers
Who is in charge of the executive branch? The President
Who makes federal laws? Congress; Senate and House of Representatives; the legislature
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? The Senate and House of Representatives
How many U.S. Senators are there? One hundred (100)
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? Six (6)
Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators now? [Answers vary by state, look up your state's current senators at senate.gov]
The House of Representatives has how many voting members? Four hundred thirty-five (435)
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? Two (2)
Name your U.S. Representative. [Answers vary by congressional district]
Who does a U.S. Senator represent? All people of the state
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states? Because of the state's population; some states have more people
We elect a President for how many years? Four (4)
In what month do we vote for President? November
What is the name of the President of the United States now? [Current President, verified at uscis.gov before your interview]
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? [Current Vice President]
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? The Vice President
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? The Speaker of the House
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? The President
Who signs bills to become laws? The President
Who vetoes bills? The President
What does the President's Cabinet do? Advises the President
What are two Cabinet-level positions? Secretary of State; Secretary of Defense; Secretary of the Treasury; Attorney General; Secretary of Education; Secretary of Homeland Security; Vice President [any two]
What does the judicial branch do? Reviews laws; explains laws; resolves disputes; decides if a law goes against the Constitution
What is the highest court in the United States? The Supreme Court
How many justices are on the Supreme Court? Nine (9)
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? [Current Chief Justice, verified at supremecourt.gov]
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? To print money; to declare war; to create an army; to make treaties
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states? Provide schooling and education; provide protection (police); give a driver's license; approve zoning and land use
Who is the Governor of your state now? [Answers vary by state]
What is the capital of your state? [Answers vary by state]
What are the two major political parties in the United States? Democratic and Republican
What is the political party of the President now? [Varies with current administration]
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? [Current Speaker, verified at house.gov]
American Government: Rights and Responsibilities (Questions 48 to 57)
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. Citizens eighteen and older can vote; you don't have to pay a poll tax to vote; any citizen can vote (women and men); a male citizen of any race can vote
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? Serve on a jury; vote in a federal election
Name one right only for United States citizens. Vote in a federal election; run for federal office
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States? Freedom of expression; freedom of speech; freedom of assembly; freedom to petition the government; freedom of religion; the right to bear arms
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? The United States; the flag
What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? Give up loyalty to other countries; defend the Constitution and laws of the United States; obey the laws of the United States; serve in the U.S. military if needed; be loyal to the United States
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? Eighteen (18) and older
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? Vote; join a political party; help with a campaign; join a civic group; call Senators and Representatives; run for office; write to a newspaper
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? April 15
When must all men register for the Selective Service? At age eighteen; between eighteen and twenty-six
American History: Colonial Period and Independence (Questions 58 to 70)
What is one reason colonists came to America? Freedom; political liberty; religious freedom; economic opportunity; escape persecution
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? American Indians; Native Americans
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? Africans; people from Africa
Why did the colonists fight the British? Because of high taxes (taxation without representation); because the British army stayed in their houses; because they didn't have self-government
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? (Thomas) Jefferson
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? July 4, 1776
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
What happened at the Constitutional Convention? The Constitution was written; the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution
When was the Constitution written? 1787
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers. (James) Madison; (Alexander) Hamilton; (John) Jay; Publius
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? U.S. diplomat; oldest member of the Constitutional Convention; First Postmaster General; writer of "Poor Richard's Almanac"; started the first free libraries
Who is the "Father of Our Country"? (George) Washington
Who was the first President? (George) Washington
American History: The 1800s (Questions 71 to 77)
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? The Louisiana Territory; Louisiana
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. War of 1812; Mexican-American War; Civil War; Spanish-American War
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South. The Civil War; the War between the States
Name one problem that led to the Civil War. Slavery; economic reasons; states' rights
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
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? Freed the slaves; freed slaves in the Confederacy; freed slaves in most Southern states
What did Susan B. Anthony do? Fought for women's rights; fought for civil rights
American History: Recent History and Important Events (Questions 78 to 87)
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. World War I; World War II; Korean War; Vietnam War; (Persian) Gulf War
Who was President during World War I? (Woodrow) Wilson
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? (Franklin) Roosevelt
Who did the United States fight in World War II? Japan, Germany, and Italy
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in? World War II
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? Communism
What movement tried to end racial discrimination? Civil rights (movement)
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do? Fought for civil rights; worked for equality for all Americans
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States? Terrorists attacked the United States
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. Cherokee; Navajo; Sioux; Chippewa; Choctaw; Apache; Iroquois; Creek; Blackfeet; Seminole; Cheyenne; Arawak; Shawnee; Mohegan; Huron; Oneida; Lakota; Crow; Hopi; Inuit [any one]
Integrated Civics: Geography (Questions 88 to 95)
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. Missouri (River); Mississippi (River)
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? Pacific (Ocean)
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States? Atlantic (Ocean)
Name one U.S. territory. Puerto Rico; U.S. Virgin Islands; American Samoa; Northern Mariana Islands; Guam
Name one state that borders Canada. Maine; New Hampshire; Vermont; New York; Pennsylvania; Ohio; Michigan; Minnesota; North Dakota; Montana; Idaho; Washington; Alaska
Name one state that borders Mexico. California; Arizona; New Mexico; Texas
What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C.
Where is the Statue of Liberty? New York (Harbor); Liberty Island
Integrated Civics: Symbols (Questions 96 to 98)
Why does the flag have 13 stripes? Because there were 13 original colonies; the stripes represent the original colonies
Why does the flag have 50 stars? Because there is one star for each state; there are 50 states
What is the name of the national anthem? The Star-Spangled Banner
Integrated Civics: Holidays (Questions 99 to 100)
When do we celebrate Independence Day? July 4
Name two national U.S. holidays. New Year's Day; Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Presidents' Day; Memorial Day; Juneteenth; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas
How to use this list effectively
Reading through this list once is not enough to pass. The USCIS civics test is oral, you have to recall answers under pressure in a room with an immigration officer, not recognize them from a multiple-choice list. The most effective preparation combines three things:
Active recall practice: Cover the answers and try to say each one aloud before looking. If you can say it correctly three times in a row, move on.
Timed repetition: The officer won't wait. Practice answering quickly, aim for under five seconds per question.
Focus on the variable questions: Questions 20, 23, 28, 29, 40, 43, 44, 46, and 47 have answers that change (current officeholders, your state's senators, your representative). Check these specifically in the weeks before your interview and update your answers.
Take our free USCIS civics practice test, 200 questions across 20 series, to test your recall before the real interview. It covers the full question pool and shows correct answers with explanations after each question.