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97 Questions from the INS Study Guide

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Welcome to the U.S.

  Questions Answers
1. Why does the flag have 50 stars? Because there are 50 states
2. What is the name of teh national anthem? The Star-Spangled Banner
3. What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C.
4. Who is the governor of your state? Deval Patrick*
5. What is the capital of your state? Boston*
6. What are the two major political parties of the United States? Democratic and Republican
7. What aretwo ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? vote; write to a newspaper
8. What is the economic system in the United States? market economy

American Places

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

The 13 Colonies

  Questions Answers
17. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? Indians
18. Why does the flag have 13 stripes? Because there were 13 original colonies.
19. Wjat group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? People from Africa.

The New U.S.

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

The Civil War

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

Later History

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

The Constitution

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

Congress

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

The President

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

A Country of Laws

  Questions Answers
85. Who vetoes bills? The President
86. Who signs bills to become laws? The President
87. Who makes federal laws? Congress
88. What does the judicial branch do? Explains laws.
89. What is the highest court in the United States? Supreme Court
90. How many justices are on the Supreme Court? 9
91. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States? John Roberts
92. What is the "rule of law"? Everyone must follow the law.
93. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? Obey the laws of the United States.
94. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? April 15th
95. When must all men register of the Selective Service? at age 18.
96. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? voting
97. 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 September 5, 2008.