American Government: United States citizenship test questions
Practice questions for the United States citizenship test.
Last checked against the official sources:
20 free sample questions
Answer each one in your head, then open the answer to see why it is right.
1.What is the highest court in the United States?
Show the answer
Answer: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States, so its decision about a law or a case is final. No other court can change it. (Study guide, chapter 4.)
From the official guide: “Supreme Court” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
2.Name one power of the U.S. Congress.
Show the answer
Accepted answers: Writes laws; Declares war; Makes the federal budget
Congress writes the federal laws. It also votes to declare war, as it did the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941. (Study guide, chapter 2.)
From the official guide: “Writes laws” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
3.What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
Show the answer
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Speaker is the leader of the House of Representatives. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates or speaker.gov for the Speaker serving at the time of your interview. (Study guide, chapter 2.)
From the official guide: “Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
4.What is the economic system of the United States?
Show the answer
Accepted answers: Capitalism; Free market economy
The economic system of the United States is called a capitalist or market economy. In it the government does not control the economy, and people are free to start a business and make money. (Study guide, chapter 11.)
From the official guide: “Capitalism” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
5.What is the name of the President of the United States now?
Show the answer
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the President of the United States.
The answer is whoever holds the office at the time of your interview, so it changes after an election. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates or whitehouse.gov shortly before you go. (Study guide, chapter 3.)
From the official guide: “Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the President of the United States.” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
6.Who vetoes bills?
Show the answer
Answer: The President (of the United States)
If the President does not agree with a bill, the President vetoes it, which means not signing it. The bill then does not become law unless Congress votes to override the veto. (Study guide, chapter 2.)
From the official guide: “The President (of the United States)” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
7.What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
Show the answer
Answer: Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Vice President of the United States.
The answer is whoever is Vice President at the time of your interview. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates or whitehouse.gov shortly before you go. (Study guide, chapter 3.)
From the official guide: “Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Vice President of the United States.” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
8.Who is the governor of your state now?
Show the answer
Answer: Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a governor.]
The answer depends on your state, and it changes after an election, so look it up before your interview. Washington, D.C., is not a state and has no governor, and residents there should say so. (Study guide, chapter 1.)
From the official guide: “Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a governor.]” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
9.How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have?
Show the answer
Answer: Twenty-seven (27)
There have been 27 changes, called amendments, since the Constitution was written. The first ten are the Bill of Rights, and later ones cover matters such as who can be a citizen and who can vote. (Study guide, chapter 1.)
From the official guide: “Twenty-seven (27)” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
10.What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
Show the answer
Accepted answers: The United States; The flag
Saying the Pledge of Allegiance shows loyalty to the flag and to the United States. People stand, face the flag and put their right hand over their heart. (Study guide, chapter 12.)
From the official guide: “The United States” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
11.The President of the United States is elected for how many years?
Show the answer
Answer: Four (4) years
Citizens vote for President in November, and the President is elected for four years. A person can be elected President only twice. (Study guide, chapter 3.)
From the official guide: “Four (4) years” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
12.What is the supreme law of the land?
Show the answer
Answer: (U.S.) Constitution
The Constitution says of itself that it is the supreme law of the land. Everyone living in the United States, and every level of government, must follow it. (Study guide, chapter 1.)
From the official guide: “(U.S.) Constitution” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
13.The words “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are in what founding document?
Show the answer
Answer: Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The words are not from the Constitution, which was written eleven years later. (Study guide, chapter 8.)
From the official guide: “Declaration of Independence” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
14.What is another name for the legislative branch?
- The Supreme Court
- The Cabinet
- Congress
- The Electoral College
Show the answer
Answer: Congress
The legislative branch is the U.S. Congress. The Constitution gives it the power to make federal laws.
From the official guide: “Another name for the Legislative Branch is the U.S. Congress.” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
15.What does the President’s Cabinet do?
Show the answer
Answer: Advises the President (of the United States)
A cabinet is a group of advisors, and the President's Cabinet advises the President. Its members lead the executive departments. (Study guide, chapter 3.)
From the official guide: “Advises the President (of the United States)” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
16.Name one power that is only for the federal government.
Show the answer
Accepted answers: Print paper money; Mint coins; Declare war; Create an army; Make treaties; Set foreign policy
The Constitution gives some powers to the federal government alone. Examples in the study guide are printing money, creating an army, declaring war and making treaties with other countries. (Study guide, chapter 1.)
From the official guide: “Print paper money” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
17.Which state has only one voting member in the House because it has the fewest people?
- Wyoming
- California
- Texas
- Florida
Show the answer
Answer: Wyoming
Seats in the House follow population. Wyoming, the state with the fewest people, has a single voting member.
From the official guide: “has one voting member in the House of Representatives” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
18.What is a bill?
- A proposal for a new law
- A decision of the Supreme Court
- A law the President has signed
- A federal tax form
Show the answer
Answer: A proposal for a new law
When members of Congress want a new law, they write a bill. It becomes law only after both parts of Congress pass it and the President signs it.
From the official guide: “A bill is a proposal for a new law.” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
19.Name one power that is only for the states.
Show the answer
Accepted answers: Provide schooling and education; Provide protection (police); Provide safety (fire departments); Give a driver’s license; Approve zoning and land use
Powers the Constitution does not give to the federal government belong to the states or the people. The study guide's examples are schooling, police protection and fire departments. (Study guide, chapter 1.)
From the official guide: “Provide schooling and education” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
20.What does the Bill of Rights protect?
Show the answer
Accepted answers: (The basic) rights of Americans; (The basic) rights of people living in the United States
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution, added in 1791. It lists some of the basic rights of people living in the United States, such as freedom of speech and religion. (Study guide, chapter 1.)
From the official guide: “(The basic) rights of Americans” Official source, checked October 14, 2026
134 more American Government questions, with explanations and spaced review, are waiting in Swornly.
Study for the United States testThe test
Naturalization civics test (2025)
20 questions, 12 to pass
Common questions
- How can I practice American Government questions for the United States citizenship test?
- Swornly has 154 checked practice questions on American Government. The sample on this page is free, with the answers explained; the rest are in the app.
- How many questions are on the United States citizenship test?
- The Naturalization civics test (2025) has 20 questions, drawn from a pool of 128.
- What score do you need to pass the United States citizenship test?
- To pass the Naturalization civics test (2025) you need 12 correct answers out of 20 (60%).
- What language is the United States citizenship test in?
- The test is taken in English.
- Where do these practice questions come from?
- Each question is written from the official study material, checked against it by a reviewer, and linked to its source. They are for practice: the questions you are asked on the day may be worded differently.
- Is Swornly an official government website?
- No. Swornly is an independent study app and is not affiliated with any government. To book the test or check the rules that apply to you, use the official website. Official source
To book the test or check the rules that apply to you, use the official website linked above. Swornly is an independent study app and is not affiliated with any government.