[Independence day blog post!]
MSNBC has published an interactive test for citizenship, posing questions from the actual test. You can take the test, and score your own eligibility 😉
Could you pass the U.S. citizenship test? – July 4 Special – MSNBC.com:
When immigrants want to become Americans, they must take a civics test as part of their naturalization interview before a Citizenship and Immigration Services (INS) officer. The questions are usually selected from a list of 100 sample questions that prospective citizens can look at ahead of the interview (though the examiner is not limited to those questions). Some are easy, some are not. We have picked some of the more difficult ones.
So give it a try. I took it yesterday, and just barely passed with an 85%. I suspect that I did so well because I was a social studies teacher many years ago (probably forgotten as much social studies as I ever taught). It is important to not that when immigrants take the test, it is oral and not multiple choice.
Image Citation:
Das, Tanmoy. “Ellis Island.” Tanmoy & Priya. 2 May 2007. 4 Jul 2007 <http://flickr.com/photos/tanmoydas/481330287/>.
Notice all the recall questions (how many stripes on the flag, what are the first 10 amendments called) to the point of the obscure:
8. Which of the following amendments to the Constitution does NOT address or guarantee voting rights?
19th Amendment
24th Amendment
15th Amendment
7th Amendment
My favorite question is:
20. Which of these contains three rights or freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights?
Right to life, right to liberty, right to the pursuit of happiness
Freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion
Right to protest, right to protection under the law, freedom of religion
Freedom of religion, right to elect representatives, human rights
That is what is a question that a citizen should be able to answer. Unfotunately, it has some nasty ringers in the answers. If I could get a good open ended answer to that, I would be impressed.
BTW, in #2 it should read “Chief Justice of the United States” NOT “Chief Justice of the Supreme Court”