Would You Be Able To Pass The Naturalized Citizen’s Test?

Every would-be naturalized citizen must take an oral ten question civics test on American government and history from a possible list of one hundred questions.  (A passing score is six out of ten.)

It shouldn’t be very challenging since the possible one hundred questions are online.  However, some answers are not obvious.  And it’s doubtful that most native-born Americans would do particularly well without studying.  Given the dearth of civics classes in high school these days, it’s not entirely facetious to suggest that many respondents wouldn’t have a clue as to which country was established with a “Declaration of Independence”.

Here’s a sample of the one hundred questions: 

        * What is the supreme law of the land?

        * What does freedom of religion mean?

        * Name a branch of the federal government.

        * Who or what does a U.S. Senator represent?

        * Name two cabinet level federal department.
          
        * What is the capital of the state you live in?

        * When is the usual deadline for filing a federal tax return?

        * Name three of the original thirteen colonies.

        * Name one of the writers of the Federalist Papers.

So, how did you do?  Do you, too, need to brush up on your American civics?

Note:  Trent Kittleman, a Republican member of Maryland’s House of Delegates, has introduced legislation requiring high school students to pass a similar test as a condition of graduation.  The Delegate’s efforts, thus far, have made little headway in that state’s heavily Democratic legislature. 

One would have thought that promotion of knowledge of America’s political system and history would be viewed as a non-partisan project.