US citizenship test just got tougher. Can you pass it?
On its way out the door, the Trump administration is continuing to show its disdain for immigrants by toughening the U.S. citizenship test, and putting its spin on some questions.
The test is revised every decade. But the update that took effect this month requires applicants to know the answers to more questions, and removes some of the easier ones.
Previously, applicants were asked 10 questions out of the 100 in the study guide. They had to answer six correctly.
The new test asks 20 questions, out of 128 in the study guide. Twelve must be answered correctly.
The test is given orally. It isn’t multiple choice, so applicants can’t guess. Many questions have multiple acceptable answers.
Some of the easiest questions were removed in the update. Of the 18 that were scrapped, 11 of them had simple answers, often one word, according to The New York Times.
Some questions that carried over from the previous test have new answers to reflect the Trump administration’s beliefs.
Both tests include the question: “Who does a U.S. senator represent?”
The answer on the old test was, “All people of the state.” The answer on the new test is, “Citizens of their state.”
The old test included questions about American government, history, geography and symbols and holidays. There are no geography questions on the new test, which focuses heavily on government and history.
Some of the geography questions had easy answers, such as “What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?” and “What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?”
Now, let’s see how you’d do on the test. Here are 20 questions, most of which were just added or revised from the previous version. If you get 12 correct, you pass. Most have multiple acceptable answers, you only need to get one unless asked for multiple answers. Answers are at the bottom.
1. The American Revolution had many important events. Name one.
2. Alexander Hamilton is famous for many things. Name one.
3. Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s.
4. When did all men get the right to vote?
5. The U.S. Constitution starts with the words “We the People.” What does “We the People” mean?
6. Why is the Electoral College important? 7. Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?
8. Name one example of an American innovation. 9. What is Memorial Day?
10. Supreme Court justices serve for life. Why? 11. Why did the United States enter the Korean War?
12. Name one U.S. military conflict after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
13. The nation’s first motto was “E Pluribus Unum.” What does that mean?
14. Dwight Eisenhower is famous for many things. Name one.
15. Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution. Name one.
16. Why did the United States enter World War II?
17. What is one way Americans can serve their country?
18. The president of the United States can serve only two terms. Why?
19. Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
20. What does the Bill of Rights protect?
Answers:
1. Battle of Bunker Hill; Declaration of Independence; Washington Crossing the Delaware (Battle of Trenton); Battle of Saratoga; Valley Forge encampment; Battle of Yorktown (British surrender at Yorktown).
2. First Secretary of the Treasury; one of the writers of the Federalist Papers; helped establish the First Bank of the United States; aide to General George Washington; member of the Continental Congress.
3. Susan B. Anthony; Elizabeth Cady Stanton; Sojourner Truth; Harriet Tubman; Lucretia Mott; Lucy Stone.
4. After the Civil War; during Reconstruction; with the 15th Amendment; 1870.
5. Self-government; popular sovereignty; consent of the governed; people should govern themselves; example of social contract.
6. It decides who is elected president; it provides a compromise between the popular election of the president and congressional selection.
7. To more closely follow public opinion.
8. Light bulb; automobile (cars, internal combustion engine); skyscrapers; airplane; assembly line; landing on the moon; integrated circuit.
9. A holiday to honor soldiers who died in military service.
10. To be independent (of politics); to limit outside (political) influence.
11. To stop the spread of communism.
12. (Global) War on Terror; War in Afghanistan; War in Iraq.
13. Out of many, one; we all become one.
14. General during World War II; president at the end of/during the Korean War; 34th president of the United States; signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (created the Interstate System).
15. Declaration of Independence; Articles of Confederation; Federalist Papers; Anti-Federalist Papers; Virginia Declaration of Rights; Fundamental Orders of Connecticut; Mayflower Compact; Iroquois Great Law of Peace.
16. Bombing of Pearl Harbor; Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor; to support the Allied Powers (England, France and Russia); to oppose the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan).
17. Vote; pay taxes; obey the law; serve in the military; run for office; work for local, state or federal government.
18. Because of the 22nd Amendment; to keep the president from becoming too powerful.
19. Equality; liberty; social contract; natural rights; limited government; self-government.
20. The (basic) rights of Americans; the (basic) rights of people living in the United States.