Citizenship: The Right Stuff, Part 2

Last week we began a study of citizenship. In light of the nearing presidential election, I had been giving citizenship and the importance of being an American and of voting a lot of thought and had wondered if I had what it takes to become an American citizen by naturalization.

So, in an effort to determine if we have the right stuff to become naturalized American citizens and whether we’re living up to our responsibilities as citizens, we pretended that we aren’t American citizens and set out to see if we have the right stuff to become naturalized citizens. 

–oOo–

First, we established that we are eligible to apply for naturalization, according to uscis.gov, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. The criteria we met included being 18 years of age or older; being a legal permanent resident; meeting the time requirement as a permanent resident in the U.S.; demonstrating continuous permanent residence and physical presence; and demonstrating good moral character and an attachment to the ideals and principles of the U.S. Constitution.

Then we applied via our 10-page Application for Naturalization. Our application process also included obtaining two passport-style photographs, collecting all necessary documents, paying $675.00 in fees, and being fingerprinted.

Now we are down to the final two steps in the naturalization process: (1) appearing for an interview and taking the test; and (2) taking the Oath of Allegiance at a formal naturalization ceremony.

–oOo–

During the first of the last steps, we must demonstrate an ability to speak, read, write, and understand basic English, as well as take, and pass, a civics exam. According to “Pathway to U.S. Citizenship,” a naturalization test brochure, our demonstration of our grasp of the English language will occur in three parts. Of course, when we prepared for this test, we utilized USCIS’s study materials that we found at, particularly the vocabulary lists and test questions.

An oral test will help the USCIS officer determine our ability to speak English, and during eligibility interview, s/he will use our answers to questions on the application form.

The reading test will allow us to demonstrate our ability to read English. In order to pass, we have to read 1 out of 3 sentences, the content of which focuses on civics and history. The USCIS’s reading vocabulary list contains the words found in the test. The vocabulary list’s content consists of: People (Abraham Lincoln, George Washington); Civics (American flag, Bill of Rights, capital, citizen, city, Congress, country, Father of Our Country, government, President, right, Senators, state/states, White House); Places (America, United States, U.S.); Holidays (Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving); Question Words (how, what, when, where, who, why); Verbs (can, come, do/does, elects, have/has, is/are/was/be, lives/lived, meet, name, pay, vote, want); Other (Function) words (a, for, here, in, of, on, the, to, we); and Other (Content) words (colors, dollar bill, first, largest, many, most, north, one, people, second, south).

During the writing test we will exhibit our ability to write English by correctly writing one out of 3 sentences correctly. USCIS’s writing vocabulary list, in addition to the words listed in the reading vocabulary list, contains: People (Adams); Civics (American Indians, Civil War, flag, free, freedom of speech); Places (Alaska, California, Canada, Delaware, Mexico, New York City, Washington, Washington, D.C., United States); Months (February, May, June, July, September, October, November), Other (Function) words (and, during); and Other (Content) words (blue, fifty/50, most, one hundred/100, red, taxes, white).

–oOo–

The USCIS recently redesigned the naturalization test to standardize the test-taking experience nationally and to assess the level of understanding applicants have of U.S. history and government. As of October 1, 2008 the redesigned test is the only version offered.

As applicants, we will be asked 10 questions from a list of 100. We must correctly answer at least six of the ten questions to pass the civics test. USCIS’s list of test questions consists of:

American Government:

A: Principles of American Democracy

What is the supreme law of the land?
What does the Constitution do?
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are
these words?
What is an amendment?
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
What is freedom of religion?
What is the economic system in the United States?
What is the “rule of law”?

B: System of Government

Name one branch or part of the government.

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

Who makes federal laws?

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

How many U.S. Senators are there?

We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

Name your U.S. Representative.

Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

We elect a President for how many years?

In what month do we vote for President?

What is the name of the President of the United States now?

What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes

President?

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

Who signs bills to become laws?

Who vetoes bills?

What does the President’s Cabinet do?

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

What does the judicial branch do?

What is the highest court in the United States?

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is

one power of the federal government?

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the

states?

Who is the Governor of your state now?

What is the capital of your state?

What are the two major political parties in the United States?

What is the political party of the President now?

What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

C: Rights and Responsibilities

There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of

them.

What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?

Name one right only for United States citizens.

What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?

What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?

When must all men register for the Selective Service?

Integrated Civics

A: Geography

Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

Name one U.S. territory.

Name one state that borders Canada.

Name one state that borders Mexico.

What is the capital of the United States?

Where is the Statue of Liberty?

B: Symbols

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

What is the name of the national anthem?

C: Holidays

When do we celebrate Independence Day?

Name two national U.S. holidays.

American History

A: Colonial Period and Independence

What is one reason colonists came to America?

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

Why did the colonists fight the British?

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

There were 13 original states. Name three.

What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

When was the Constitution written?

The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one

of the writers.

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

Who is the "Father of Our Country"?

Who was the first President?

B: 1800s 

What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.

Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

What did Susan B. Anthony do?

C: Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.

Who was President during World War I?

Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?

Who did the United States fight in World War II?

Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?

What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States

–oOo–

So, all we lack now is the final part, taking the Oath of Allegiance at a formal naturalization ceremony. Assuming we passed.

I want to know! I’m going to review the answers to the test questions a couple of times over the weekend and then take the entire 100-question test next week. Are you with me?

–oOo–

Next week we’ll see if we’re living up to our responsibilities as citizens and I’ll share my rest results with you!