When an immigrant goes to apply for US Citizenship (like myself), the USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) administers a naturalization test. This test covers such things as current events (current president, governer, senator and so on) and basic government and civics.

I understand that they will be redesigning the test. This new test will apparently be in use after October 1, 2008. From the USCIS website: “The revised test, with an emphasis on the fundamental concepts of American democracy and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, will help encourage citizenship applicants to learn and identify with the basic values we all share as Americans.”

That’s cool because some of the questions on the current test are pretty elementary. Although I will have to admit there are probably quite a few people out there who wouldn’t know certain questions. Here’s some examples (and yes, I will supply the answers) from the current test:

Questions:

  1. How many stars are there in our flag?
  2. How many stripes are there in the flag?
  3. How many branches are there in our government? And what are they?
  4. How many senators are there in Congress?
  5. Can you name all the senators in your state?
  6. For how long do we elect each senator?
  7. Can you name thirteen original states?
  8. Who said, “give me liberty or give me death!”

Ok ok, that’s enough. They give you 100 example questions, from which they will take some of and ask you in your interview. You do a written and oral test, because they want to make sure you can read/write english and speak it well enough as well.

I’ll be going in next Monday to do this interview. They also say I should “dress appropriately” so I’m thinking jeans are out, but honestly, what’s appropriate? I went there for my fingerprinting in jeans and a t-shirt. *shrug*

Here are the answers:

  1. 50 (for all the states)
  2. 13 (for the original colonies)
  3. Three. The Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary.
  4. 100
  5. This of course would depend on where you live. But for me, it’s Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. (I have the hardest time remembering Patty Murray. I have no idea why.
  6. 6 years
  7. New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
  8. Patrick Henry

How many did you get right?