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Are You Ready To Take The Citizenship Quiz?
By the Editorial Staff, ImmigrationNewsman.com
Before they become naturalized U.S. citizens, immigrants are required to answer such questions as “How many stars are there in the U.S. flag?” or “What is the date of Independence Day?”
On Nov. 30, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new set of questions to be piloted for the naturalization test given to all immigrants seeking United States citizenship.
"This is a significant achievement,” said Matthew Spalding, one of a handful of outside experts involved in the design of the test guidelines. “Rather than encouraging the rote memorization of mere facts and figures, the new test will emphasize an understanding of the basic core concepts of our political tradition — concepts that all Americans must know to be good citizens.”
By law, new citizens must demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history and of the principles and form of government of the United States.
Some of the new questions expected to appear on the citizenship test include:
Name one important idea found in the Declaration of Independence.
A: People are born with natural rights.
A: The power of government comes from the people.
A: The people can change their government if it hurts their natural rights.
A: All people are created equal.
Name one right or freedom from the First Amendment.
A: Speech
A: Religion
A: Assembly
A: Press
A: Petition the government
What does freedom of religion mean?
A: You can practice any religion you want, or not practice at all.
What type of economic system does the U.S. have?
A: Capitalist economy
A: Free market
A: Market economy
Name one example of checks and balances.
A: The President vetoes a bill.
A: Congress can confirm or not confirm a President's nomination.
A: Congress approves the President's budget.
A: The Supreme Court strikes down a law.
What does it mean that the U.S. Constitution is a constitution of limited powers?
A: The federal government has only the powers that the Constitution states that it has.
A: The states have all powers that the federal government does not.
What is self-government?
A: Powers come from the people.
A: Government responds to the people.
What are "inalienable rights"?
A: Individual rights that people are born with
What is the Pledge of Allegiance?
A: The promise of loyalty to the flag and the nation
Name one promise you make when you say the Oath of Allegiance.
A: To give up loyalty to other countries (I give up loyalty to my [old][first][other] country.)
A: To defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
A: To obey the laws of the United States
A: To serve in the United States military if needed (To fight for the United States [if needed].)
A: To serve the nation if needed (To do important work for the United States [if needed].)
A: To be loyal to the United States
Name two of the natural, or inalienable, rights in the Declaration of Independence.
A: Life
A: Liberty
A: The pursuit of happiness
Name one reason why the colonists came to America?
A: Freedom
A: Political liberty
A: Religious freedom
A: Economic opportunity
A: To practice their religion
A: To escape persecution
Who is called the "Father of Our Country"?
A: George Washington
Name one of the things that Abraham Lincoln did.
A: Saved (or preserved) the Union .
A: Freed the slaves
A: Led the U.S. during the Civil War.
What was the main concern of the United States during the Cold War?
A: The spread of communism
A: The Soviet Union [ USSR and Russia are also acceptable.]
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Immigration Newsman photo
Princess Tumanyini Brown hugs her husband, Douglas, after taking her oath as a U.S. citizen. Brown, a U.S. Air Force senior airman, was naturalized under a new immigration law that makes non-citizen soldiers immediately eligible for citizenship
FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM: Soldiers sworn in as U.S. citizens
By O. DeJesus
DALLAS – The horror is over for 24-year-old Princess Tumanyini Brown. No more massacres. No more mass burials for decapitated family members and friends.
Brown, a U.S. Air Force senior airman, fled Liberia 10 years ago after thugs killed 10 relatives, including an uncle, an aunt and her grandmother. On Monday, she joined 11 other immigrant soldiers who were sworn in as U.S. citizens.
"I felt my heart belonged somewhere else, but now I'm a U.S. citizen," she said. ''I'm a full-fledged American at last.”
Brown, who joined the U.S. military almost four years ago, was one of the more than 37,000 non-citizens who serve on active duty in the U.S. military. To be eligible for service, non-citizens must have green cards, which grant them legal residency in the United States.
The immigrant soldiers entered the spotlight as soon as Operation Iraqi Freedom began. Several of the first U.S. casualties in the war were non-citizens, and at least seven have been awarded U.S. citizenship posthumously.
While military personnel have become citizens for years, their numbers rose following recent changes in residency requirements. President George W. Bush signed an executive order last year that ended the three-year waiting period required for service members, making them immediately eligible.
More than 7,500 individuals serving in the war on terrorism have requested expedited citizenship.
Eight countries, including Guyana and Eritrea, were represented at Monday's naturalization ceremony. Most of the soldiers at Monday's ceremony said they joined the military to earn money for college, gain job skills or “travel around the world.” Some said becoming citizens will enhance their military careers, allowing them to apply for jobs that require a security clearance and to get promoted.
LOOKING BACK: 117-Year-Old Becomes U.S. Citizen
In August 1997, Manik Bokchalian became the oldest American after making a perfect score on her citizenship test.
Bokchalian, who was born in Turkey in 1880, took her oath along with 4,000 other people at a ceremony in downtown Los Angeles. She was possibly the oldest person to become naturalized.
She told reporters that longevity is in her genes, adding that a close relative lived 106 years. Because of Bokchalian's age, she did not have to answer the normal 100 citizenship questions, immigration officials said. Those over 65 are given a condensed test. She also was allowed to take the test in Armenian. Still, she got every question right and scored a 100.
The USCIS in Los Angeles naturalizes people in their 90s or older about once a year, officials said.
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