U.S. Citizenship Practice Test 1 (20 Questions)

The Constitution forms the government, defines its powers and its three parts, and protects the basic rights of the people.

Checks and balances let each branch limit the power of the other two. For example, the President can veto bills, Congress can override vetoes, and courts can strike down laws that go against the Constitution.

The Declaration names "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" as rights that all people have from birth. It says governments exist to protect these rights.

Every state has exactly two senators, no matter its size or population. This gives each state an equal voice in the Senate.

After Congress passes a bill, the President signs it into law. If the President vetoes it, Congress can still pass it with a two-thirds vote in both houses.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. It decides which cases it will hear, and its decisions are final.

Public schools are run by the states and local school districts. Printing money, making treaties and declaring war are powers of the federal government.

Federal departments and agencies carry out the laws, so they are part of the executive branch. Their leaders are members of the President's Cabinet.

Congress controls federal spending: it passes the budget and the laws that pay for government programs. The President can propose a budget, but Congress decides.

Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections, and they must be at least 18. Permanent residents cannot vote in federal elections.

The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms. The First Amendment protects freedoms such as speech, religion, the press and assembly.

Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury and helped start the First Bank of the United States. He also wrote many of the Federalist Papers.

The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and the first battles of the Revolution were fought on April 19, 1775.

James Madison did much of the planning for the Constitution and helped write the Bill of Rights. As the fourth President, he led the country during the War of 1812.

The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) ended with Mexico giving up a large area that includes today's California, Nevada and Utah and parts of other states.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, led the Union during the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation. He was assassinated in April 1865, days after the main Confederate surrender.

The main Axis powers were Germany, Italy and Japan. The United States fought on the side of the Allies, which included Britain, France and the Soviet Union.

Martin Luther King, Jr. led the civil rights movement and worked for equality for all Americans through nonviolent protest. He hoped people would be judged by their character, not by the color of their skin.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, honors the work and achievements of American workers. It became a federal holiday in 1894.

The flag has 50 stars, one for each state. The 13 stripes stand for the original colonies.