Category: Quick Civics Lessons for the Naturalization Test

27. In what month do we vote for President?*

27. In what month do we vote for President?*

  •  November

The Constitution did not set a national election day.
In the past, elections for federal office took place on different days in different states.

In 1845, Congress passed legislation to designate a single day for all Americans to vote. It made Election Day the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Congress chose November because the United States was mostly rural.

By November, farmers had completed their harvests and were available to vote. Another reason for this date was the weather.

People were able to travel because it was not yet winter. They chose Tuesday for Election Day so that voters had a full day after Sunday to travel to the polls.

* If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions marked with an asterisk.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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26. We elect a President for how many years?

26. We elect a President for how many years?

  • Four (4)

Early American leaders thought that the head of the British government, the king, had too much power. Because of this, they limited the powers of the head of the new U.S. government. They decided that the people would elect the president every four years.

The president is the only official elected by the entire country through the Electoral College.

The Electoral College is a process that was designed by the writers of the Constitution to select presidents. It came from a compromise between the president being elected directly by the people and the president being chosen by Congress.

Citizens vote for electors, who then choose the president. Before 1951, there was no limit on the number of terms a president could serve.

With the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, the president can only be elected to two terms (four years each) for a total of eight years.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

  • (Because of) the state’s population
  • (Because) they have more people
  • (Because) some states have more people

The Founding Fathers wanted people in all states to be represented fairly.

In the House of Representatives, a state’s population determines the number of representatives it has. In this way, states with many people have a stronger voice in the House.

In the Senate, every state has the same number of senators. This means that states with few people still have a strong voice in the national government.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

  • All people of the state

    Senators are elected to serve the people of their state for six years. Each of the two senators represents the entire state.

    Before the 17th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1913, the state legislatures elected the U.S. senators to represent their state.

    Now, all the voters in a state elect their two U.S. senators directly.

    ** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

  • Two (2)

People who live in a representative’s district are called “constituents.” Representatives tend to reflect the views of their constituents. If representatives do not do this, they may be voted out of office.

The Framers of the Constitution believed that short two-year terms and frequent elections would keep representatives close to their constituents, public opinion, and more aware of local and community concerns.

The Constitution puts no limit on the number of terms a representative may serve. All representatives are up for election every two years.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

  • Four hundred thirty-five (435)

The House of Representatives is the larger chamber of Congress.

Since 1912, the House of Representatives has had 435 voting members. However, the distribution of members among the states has changed over the years.

Each state must have at least one representative in the House.

Beyond that, the number of representatives from each state depends on the population of the state. The Constitution says that the government will conduct a census of the population every 10 years to count the number of people in each state.

The results of the census are used to recalculate the number of representatives each state should have. For example, if one state gains many residents that state could get one or more new representatives. If another state loses residents, that state could lose one or more. But the total number of voting U.S. representatives does not change.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now? *

20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now? *

  • Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories should answer that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. Senators.]

For a complete list of U.S. senators and the states they represent, go to www.senate.gov.

* If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions marked with an asterisk.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

  • Six (6)

The Framers of the Constitution wanted senators to be independent from public opinion. They thought a fairly long, six-year term would give them this protection.

They also wanted longer Senate terms to balance the shorter two-year terms of the members of the House, who would more closely follow public opinion.

The Constitution puts no limit on the number of terms a senator may serve. Elections for U.S. senators take place on even-numbered years.

Every two years, one-third of the senators are up for election.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? *

17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? *

  • The Senate and House (of Representatives)

Congress is divided into two parts—the Senate and the House of Representatives. Because it has two “chambers,” the U.S. Congress is known as a “bicameral” legislature.

The system of checks and balances works in Congress. Specific powers are assigned to each of these chambers. For example, only the Senate has the power to reject a treaty signed by the president or a person the president chooses to serve on the Supreme Court.

Only the House of Representatives has the power to introduce a bill that requires Americans to pay taxes.

* If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions marked with an asterisk.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

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18. How many U.S. Senators are there?

18. How many U.S. Senators are there?

  • One hundred (100)

There are 100 senators in Congress, two from each state. All states have equal power in the Senate because each state has the same number of senators.

States with a very small population have the same number of senators as states with very large populations.

The Framers of the Constitution made sure that the Senate would be small. This would keep it more orderly than the larger House of Representatives.

As James Madison wrote in Federalist Paper #63, the Senate should be a “temperate and respectable body of citizens” that operates in a “cool and deliberate” way.

** As you prepare for U.S. citizenship, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons will help you study for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview. There are 100 civics (history and government) questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly six (6) of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.

Download PDF