This year’s Fourth of July holiday commemorates 242 years since the U.S. adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and will once again see thousands of people naturalized as new citizens around the holiday week.
The process of naturalization, or legally becoming a U.S. citizen, entails a lengthy application process through the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency and is outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
People who are naturalized must be a legal permanent resident for five years, at least 18 years old, and able to write and speak English, among other requirements. They must also “be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States.”
If an applicant meets those requirements and is referred to the next step, he or she will have to pass verbal, written, and civics tests.
More than a century ago, local judges oversaw 5,000 naturalization courts nationwide and were in charge of deciding whether someone could become a citizen, and standards varied, according to USCIS. Some judges did not test applicants on their knowledge of U.S. civics and history.
However, other judges believed an existing 1802 law on naturalization mandated they quiz applicants on their understanding of the U.S. Constitution, which resulted in different standards for applicants.
In 1906, Congress passed the Basic Naturalization Act, and the Bureau of Naturalization took over the naturalization process and began issuing educational materials so people would know what to expect and how to prepare. The process went from a state and local process to one overseen by federal agencies.
The list of topics applicants could be quizzed on was narrowed down in the 1930s. Today, test-takers can review 100 practice questions in preparation for the quiz. A USCIS officer will administer the civics test orally and applicants must get six of the 10 multiple choice questions correct in order to move ahead.
Applicants are instructed to study ahead and should know the president and vice president’s full names, including middle initials.
Test-takers will also be asked about national topics, including the number of amendments in the Constitution, the three branches of government, examples of Cabinet-level positions, and the federal government’s responsibilities. They also must know basic U.S. history, like three of the 13 colonies, who wrote the Federalist Papers, and who Benjamin Franklin was.
Knowledge of current events is also part of the test and applicants will be asked to name the governor of their state, when federal income tax returns are due, an example of an American Indian tribe in the U.S., two national holidays, and a state that borders Canada.
See if you can pass an official USCIS 20-question sample test:
