Can You Pass This U.S. Immigration Test?

By: Kale Havervold
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Pass This U.S. Immigration Test?
Image: Image Source / Image Source / Getty Images

About This Quiz

The USA is, without a doubt, one of the biggest world powers on the planet. It's are also among the most prosperous and wealthy countries in the world. The quality of life is high and there is something for everyone. All of this, plus the opportunity of the living the American Dream, means that a lot of people want to come to the red, white and blue to become citizens. While the USA indeed has their fair share of problems and is far from perfect, that doesn't stop over a million people from immigrating to the country every year. 

Unfortunately for those looking to immigrate, the process is not easy, and the path to citizenship isn't always equally enforced. It can be timely, stressful and not just anyone can become a citizen. Simply living in a country doesn't make you a citizen. Becoming a citizen involves a lot of different things, including abiding by the laws, filing a boatload of paperwork and taking a citizenship (or civics) test. This test can challenge your knowledge on many things including laws, rules, US history, government and more. Passing this test can take a lot of hard work, dedication and hours of studying and learning about the USA to ensure you can answer the questions asked of you. 

So whether you are studying up to immigrate to the country, or are just wanting to brush up your skills or test yourself on what it takes to become an American citizen if you're foreign-born, read on and take our challenging US immigration quiz. 

How many senators does each individual state have?
1
2
3
It varies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

No matter the population or size of the state, each state has two senators. So in total, that means there are 100 senators throughout the USA. Senators are elected and serve six-year terms.

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The USA is one of the most populous countries on the planet, how many people call it home?
Around 327 million
Around 600 million
Around 423 million
Around 225 million
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The population in the USA is always changing, but the most recent count puts it at just a little bit over 327 million. This means it is the third largest country on the planet according to population. However, the two countries with greater populations both have over a billion people—so the US won't lead in population anytime soon!

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When the president is elected in 2020, how many years will they be the president for?
8 years
6 years
10 years
4 years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When a president is elected, they will serve as president for 4 years from the date of their inauguration. Presidents can serve two terms in a row, but they have to be elected for a second term.

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Millions of Americans drive cars daily, how old do you need to be to have a driver's license in most states?
13
16
21
18
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The large majority of states have set 16 as the age for someone to get a driver's license and be able to drive legally. However, some states differ. For example, South Dakota residents can drive at 14 and a half, and New Jersey residents cannot drive until they're 17.

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Slavery was practiced in the USA for many years, when was it finally abolished?
1900
1935
1865
1799
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The practice of human bondage is a dark mark in America's past which was abolished officially in December, 1865, after the Thirteenth Amendment went into effect and ended the legal institution of slavery. Today, many people are calling for reparations, which would help to close the enormous gap in wealth that persists between white and Black people.

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In what city does the Golden Gate Bridge reside?
San Francisco
New York City
Chicago
Orlando
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the USA. The bridge is one of the largest and longest suspension bridges on the planet, and is located in San Francisco.

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Of the 50 states, which is the newest?
Delaware
Minnesota
Alaska
Hawaii
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Of the 50 states in the USA, none are newer than Hawaii. Hawaii and Alaska both became states in 1959, but Alaska became one in January, while Hawaii became the 50th state in August.

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Enjoying alcohol is common in the USA, how old do you need to be to purchase it legally?
18
21
30
16
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the legal details for consumption vary a ton throughout the country, the minimum age to purchase alcohol is 21 across the country. Underage drinking is common, but is usually done behind closed doors.

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How many supreme court justices are there at any given time?
24
50
9
3
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At any given time, there are a total of 9 Supreme Court justices. There are eight associate justices and one chief justice. Early on, the size of the Supreme Court fluctuated, but it has been at 9 justices since 1869.

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Why do Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4th?
It is the hottest date of the year
It usually occurs during the weekend
Because it is when the USA declared independence
It is the birthday of the first President
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4th as that is the day that independence from the British was declared. The Declaration of Independence was ratified back in 1776. It had been voted to declare a few days earlier, but wasn't official until the 4th.

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In what month do American citizens vote for President?
July
March
September
November
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Every four years, the US Presidential election will take place in November. It is set as the first Tuesday after November 1st. As a result, the election can take place anywhere from the 2nd to the 8th.

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Which one of the following countries is not a US territory?
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands
Dominican Republic
Guam
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are territories of the USA, the Dominican Republic is not. The Dominican Republic is a part of the Caribbean, which is a part of North America. Many people have joined the struggle to end US imperialism in these territories, notably Rosa Clemente, who was on the Green Party ticket for Vice President in 2008.

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There are many important cities in the USA, but which is the federal capital city?
Philadelphia
Washington, DC
Los Angeles
New York City
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While Philadelphia was once the capital of the country, the current capital of the USA is Washington, D.C. It has been the capital since 1802 and is situated near Maryland and Virginia.

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Americans have "Freedom of Religion," what does that mean?
The freedom to choose their own religion, but must choose one
They are free to be multiple religions
They are free to choose any religion to follow, or none at all
They are told what religion to be
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the best things about the USA is that you are completely free to practice whatever sort of religion you want to. Also, if you aren't religious, you can choose to follow none of them, as well.

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How is the number of representatives per state determined?
They each have the same amount
It varies based on state population
It varies based on the size of the state
It is based on the state economies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The amount of representatives each state has depends on the population of the state. In total, there are 435 representatives across the USA, with California being home to the greatest number, 53.

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The first three words of the Constitution have become quite famous, what are they?
We the people
I solemnly swear
According to God
We hereby declare
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first three words in the constitution are "We the people." These words have been read thousands and thousands of times due to their positioning in the constitution. This has led them to become quite famous.

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Many people dream of becoming president, but how old do you need to be before you can do it?
18
25
49
35
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While there are probably those under 35 who want to be president, they cannot. Until you have reached 35, you are not be able to run for president. On the other end, there is no maximum age.

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Which of the following states does not share a border with Canada?
Iowa
Montana
Washington
North Dakota
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are a quite a few different states that share a border with Canada, and that includes North Dakota, Washington and Montana. One that doesn't is Iowa. Iowa is just south of Minnesota.

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What makes up the Bill of Rights?
A list of all the laws in the USA
The first 10 amendments of the Constitution
A list of all city power and water bills
A list of the all national debts of the USA
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While everyone has heard the term "Bill of Rights," few actually know that it is made up of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. It was ratified way back on December 15th, 1791.

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The American flag has 50 stars, what is the reasoning behind this?
It is just a random amount
Because of the 50 American states
Because 50 is half of 100
Because that's how many versions of the flag were before this one
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The reason that there are 50 stars on the American flag is because there are 50 American states. When new states were added in the past, more stars were added. The same would likely be true if more states are added in the future.

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When was the American national anthem adopted?
1850
1931
1987
1799
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the song was around for much longer, the Star-Spangled Banner officially became the national anthem of the USA in 1931. In fact, the lyrics for the song were actually written in 1814.

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How old do you need to be to vote for the President?
18
Anyone can vote
25
15
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In order to vote in the United States, you must be 18 years old. While you may not be able to vote if you're younger, there are still other ways to get involved in politics, including helping with campaigns, calling your representatives about issues you care about, and serving as a page in your state house. Some states are working to lower the voting age, and others have passed automatic voter registration as well as same-day registration in order to make voting more accessible for young people.

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Mountains are located throughout the country, but which has the highest summit?
Mount Hubbard
Mount Sanford
Denali
Mount Bona
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While all of the mountains listed are among the highest summits in the country, none can match Denali. Denali, which is located in Alaska, is well over 20,000 feet high. The next closest summit in the USA is just over 18,000 feet.

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How many years is a senator's term?
1 year
10 years
6 years
4 years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Two senators are elected from each state, and they serve a 6-year term in office. However, their terms are staggered, so only about one-third of senators are actually elected every two years.

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Which current American state was purchased from France way back in 1803?
Arizona
Maine
Alabama
Louisiana
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you are in New Orleans or many other parts of Louisiana, you can most definitely see the connection it has to French culture and cuisine. This is because the Louisiana area was actually purchased from France itself.

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What was the name of the war that took place that pitted the American North vs. the American South?
The Cold War
The War of 1812
World War 2
The Civil War
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Civil War took place from 1861 to 1865 in the USA and eventually led to millions of slaves being freed. Hundreds of thousands of people died in this war. Today, race remains a fraught subject for a great many Americans.

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Which president abolished slavery?
Abraham Lincoln
Woodrow Wilson
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Abraham Lincoln was the President of the USA throughout the Civil War and helped the Union achieve victory. As a result, he was instrumental in abolishing slavery in the USA. He was assassinated in 1865 at Ford's theater.

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When were women finally given the right to vote in the USA?
1899
1920
1935
1850
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the demand for women to be able to vote dates back to the mid-1800s, it wasn't until 1920 that women's suffrage was finally established on a national level. Before 1920, some areas allowed women to vote, but it didn't become official on the federal level until 1920. Even after 1920, many women of color still had major barriers to voting, especially in the American South.

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The USA is home to thousands of rivers, but which is the longest?
Missouri River
Rio Grande
Red River
Yukon River
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The longest river in the USA is the Missouri River, which is 2,341 miles. For reference, this is nearly as long as a trip from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh. The Mississippi River, long hailed as the longest in the US, is just a few miles shorter these days.

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What was one of the prevailing reason that colonists decided to settle in the USA?
It was warmer
To escape religious persecution
They couldn't get back to Europe
They ran out of materials to go further
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In Colonial England, there was a lot of religious persecution taking place. if you were not the "right" religion, or didn't want to practice, you were often mistreated or exiled. Settling in America allowed people to escape this; however, colonists quickly began persecuting others, from indigenous peoples to women they determined to be witches, for almost identical reasons.

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Which of the following was not one of the original 13 colonies in the USA?
Delaware
Virginia
California
Rhode Island
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The state on this list that wasn't one of the first 13 colonies of the USA is California. Settlers arrived on the east coast first, so the 13 original colonies were all along the east coast of the USA.

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This former president also wrote the original version of the Declaration of Independence, who is he?
John Adams
James Monroe
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Jackson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Adams was the individual who pushed for the Declaration of Independence to be originally written by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson would go on to the be third President of the USA, serving from 1801 to 1809.

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How many fully-ratified amendments have there been to the US constitution?
33
27
17
10
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While there have 33 proposed amendments to the Constitution, only 27 of them have officially been ratified. The 27th and most recent amendment was completed on May 5th, 1992.

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While most people know the American flag has 50 stars, how many stripes does it have?
33
10
19
13
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The American flag has a grand total of 13 stripes. These 13 stripes represent the thirteen original colonies of the USA. These were all British colonies that declared independence from Great Britain.

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Donald Trump is the 45th President of the USA, but who was the first?
Andrew Johnson
Abraham Lincoln
John Adams
George Washington
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Washington was the very first President of the USA, and he served from 1789 to 1797. Before becoming the President, he was also a military general and helped lead the Patriots to a victory in the War of Independence.

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You Got:
/35
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