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100 Questions from the INS Study Guide

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Welcome to the U.S.A.

  Questions Answers
1. Why does the flag have 50 stars? Because there are 50 states
2. What is the name of the national anthem? The Star-Spangled Banner
3. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance The United States
4. What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C.
5. Who is the governor of your state? Deval Patrick*
6. What is the capital of your state? Boston*
7. What are the two major political parties of the United States? Democratic and Republican
8. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? vote; write to a newspaper
9. What is the economic system in the United States? market economy
10. What is the name of the President of the U.S. now? George Bush
11. What is the political party of the President now? Republican

American Places

  Questions Answers
12. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States? Mississippi River
13. What ocean is on the west coast of the United States? The Pacific Ocean
14. What ocean is on the east coast of the United States? Atlantic Ocean
15. Name one U.S. territory. Guam
16. name one state the borders on Canada. New York
17. Name one state that borders on Mexico. California
18. Where is the Statue of Liberty? New York
19. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. Hope

The 13 Colonies

  Questions Answers
20. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? Indians
21. Why does the flag have 13 stripes? Because there were 13 original colonies.
22. What is one reason colonists came to America? Freedom
23. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? People from Africa.
24. Name 2 national U.S. holidays? Columbus Day and Thanksgiving

The New U.S.

  Questions Answers
25. Why did the colonists fight the British? Because of high taxes
26. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? July 4th, 1776
27. What did the Declaration of Independence do? It said the the United States is free.
28. What are two rights in the Declararation of Independence? life and liberty
29. When do we celebrate Independence Day? July 4th
30. There were 13 original states. Name three. New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire
31. Who is the “Father of our Country?” George Washington
32. Who was the first President? George Washington
33. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? Started the first free library.
34. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson
35. What happened at the Constitutional Convention? The Constitution was written.
36. When was the Constitution written? 1787
37. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers. Alexander Hamilton
38. What does the Constitution do? Sets up the government

The Civil War

  Questions Answers
39. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? Louisiana.
40. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s? Civil War
41. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South? Civil War
42. Name one problem that led to the Civil War? slavery
43. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? Freed the slaves.
44. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? Freed the slaves.
45. What did Susan B. Anthony do? Worked for women's rights.

Later History

  Questions Answers
46. Who was President during World War I? Woodrow Wilson
47. Name one war fought by the United States in 1900s. World War II
48. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II Franklin Delano Roosevelt
49. Who did the United States fight in World War II? Japan, Germany, Italy
50. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general in what war? World War II
51. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? Communism
52. What movement tried to end racial discrimination? Civil Rights Movement
53. What did Martin Luther King do? Worked for civil rights
54. What major event happened on September 11, 2001? Terrorists attacked the United States.

The Constitution

  Questions Answers
55. What is the supreme law of the land? The Constitution
56. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? We the people...
57. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? To print money
58. Under our Constitution, some powers belong the the states. What is one power of the states? To give a driver's license
59. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? checks and balances
60. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? The Bill of Rights
61. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? freedom of speech
62. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States? freedom of speech, freedom of religion
63. What is freedom of religion? The right to practice any or no religion.
64. What is an amendment? a change to the Constitution
65. How many amendments does the Constitution have? 27.
66. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. Citizens who are 18 can vote.
67. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? 18

Congress

  Questions Answers
68. Name one branch or part of government. Congress
69. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? The Senate and House
70. How many U.S. Senators are there? 100
71. Whe elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? 6 years.
72. Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators? John Kerry*
73. Who does a U.S. Senator represent? all the people of the state
74. The House of Representatives has how many voting members? 435
75. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? 2
76. Name your U.S. Representative. Your answers will vary.
77. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states? Because some states have more people
78. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives? Nancy Pelosi

The President

  Questions Answers
79. Who is in charge of the executive branch? The President
80. What is the political party of the President now? Republican
81. We elect a President for how many years? 4
82. In what month do we vote for President? November
83. What is the name of the President of the United States now? George W. Bush
84. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? Dick Cheney
85. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? the Vice President
86. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? the Speaker of the House
87. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? The President
88. What does the President's Cabinet do? Advises the President.
89. What are two Cabinet-level position? Secretary of State, Secretary of Labor.

A Country of Laws

  Questions Answers
90. Who vetoes bills? The President
91. Who signs bills to become laws? The President
92. Who makes federal laws? Congress
93. What does the judicial branch do? Explains laws.
94. What is the highest court in the United States? Supreme Court
95. How many justices are on the Supreme Court? 9
96. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States? John Roberts
97. What is the "rule of law?" Everyone must follow the law.
98. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? Obey the laws of the United States.
99. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? April 15th
100. When must all men register of the Selective Service? at age 18.
101. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? voting
102. What are two rights only for United States citizens? voting; carrying a U.S. passport.

*Answers that appear with a star (*) are only true for people who live in Massachusetts. If you live in another state, you need to substitute information that is true for your state.

This page last updated on October 31, 2008.