🇺🇸 Stuff Every US Citizen Should Know: Training Guide

The Nation's Basic Form

The United States is a republic. In a republic, citizens elect representatives to make laws for them. USCIS also accepts constitution-based federal republic or representative democracy. The United States has no king.

The economic system is capitalism, also called a free market economy. Most property and choices belong to private people and businesses. The government does not run the economy as a command economy.

The Constitution starts with the words 'We the People.' This means people should govern themselves. Leaders get power because the people agree to it.

The Supreme Law

The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Every other law must follow it. The Bill of Rights is part of the Constitution.

The Constitution sets up the federal government and defines its parts. It also defines government powers and protects the rights of the people.

An amendment is a formal change or addition to the Constitution. Executive orders and court rulings cannot rewrite its text.

Key Documents and Ideas

The Declaration of Independence says all people are created equal. It also states that America is free from British control.

The words 'Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness' are in the Declaration of Independence. They name rights people are born with.

The rule of law means no one is above the law. Leaders and government must follow the same law as everyone else.

Natural rights means people are born with rights no government gives them. Other accepted ideas include equality, liberty, limited government and self-government.

The Federalist Papers were 85 essays that argued for the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote them.

Branches and Amendment Count

There are three branches of government. Splitting power three ways keeps one part from becoming too powerful.

The branches are legislative, executive, and judicial. Congress makes laws, the President carries them out, and courts review them.

The Constitution has twenty-seven amendments. The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights.

The Constitution was written in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

Early America

American Indians lived in America for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Many state names come from American Indian words.

Many colonists came for religious freedom. Others wanted political liberty or economic opportunity.

Africans were taken and sold as slaves in America. Congress banned bringing enslaved people into the country starting January 1, 1808, but slavery continued until 1865.

Road to Independence

Americans fought the American Revolution to win independence from Britain. Fighting began at Lexington and Concord in 1775.

Colonists protested British taxes because they had no vote in Parliament. This is called taxation without representation.

The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Thomas Jefferson wrote it.

The Declaration said the American colonies were free from Britain.

Revolution and Original States

The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point of the American Revolution.

George Washington was the general of the Continental Army and later the first president.

Benjamin Franklin was the first Postmaster General and was the oldest person to sign the Declaration of Independence.

The 13 original states ran along the Atlantic coast from New Hampshire to Georgia.

Founders

James Madison is called the Father of the Constitution for his planning at the Constitutional Convention.

Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury.

Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia and was the third president.

George Washington's face is on the one-dollar bill and the quarter.

The Two Chambers

Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government. Its main job is writing laws.

Congress has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. A two-part legislature is called bicameral.

There are 100 senators, two from each of the 50 states. This gives small states equal representation.

There are 435 voting members in the House of Representatives, divided among states by population.

Representation

A senator represents the people of their whole state. Voters in that state elect the two senators.

A House member represents people in one congressional district. Voters in that district elect the member.

States with more people have more representatives. House seats are reassigned after each census, which happens every 10 years.

Terms and Powers

Senators serve six-year terms. About one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years.

House members serve two-year terms. Every House seat is on the ballot every two years.

Why do representatives serve shorter terms? Two-year terms keep them close to public opinion.

Congress has the power to declare war. It also writes laws and makes the federal budget.

The Executive Branch

The President leads the executive branch. This branch carries out and enforces laws.

The executive branch includes the President, the Cabinet, and federal departments and agencies.

The President is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. military. This keeps the military under civilian control.

Election and Succession

A presidential term is four years. Presidential elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

The 22nd Amendment limits a President to two elected terms. It was ratified in 1951.

If the President can no longer serve, the Vice President becomes President. The 25th Amendment states this.

Powers

The President vetoes bills. Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses.

The President signs bills to make them laws. The President may also veto a bill passed by Congress.

The President appoints federal judges. The Senate then votes to confirm them.

The President enforces laws. Congress writes laws, and the courts decide if they fit the Constitution.

Cabinet

The Cabinet advises the President. It is made up of heads of major departments and other top officials.

The Attorney General is a Cabinet-level position. The Attorney General leads the Department of Justice.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch decides if a law goes against the Constitution. It also reviews and explains laws.

The judicial branch is made up of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The Cabinet is executive and the Senate is legislative.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. Lower courts are Courts of Appeals and District Courts.

The Supreme Court

Nine judges serve on the Supreme Court: one leads as Chief Justice, and eight serve as associate justices.

Supreme Court justices serve for life. This helps them be independent of politics.

With nine justices, a majority of five usually decides a case. The Court does not need a unanimous vote.

Federalism and the 10th Amendment

The 10th Amendment says powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.

Only the federal government can print paper money, mint coins, declare war, and make treaties.

States can give driver's licenses. They also handle schools, police, fire departments, and zoning.

The Bill of Rights and Voting Amendments

The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments. It protects basic rights like free speech.

Four amendments are about who can vote. They say citizens 18 and older can vote, no poll tax, women can vote, and male citizens of any race can vote.

The 14th Amendment says people born or naturalized in the U.S., and subject to its jurisdiction, are citizens.

The 15th Amendment was ratified in 1870 and barred denying the vote based on race, color or previous servitude.

The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920 and barred denying voting rights based on sex.

Rights of Citizens and Everyone

Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury.

Freedom of speech, religion, and assembly belong to everyone living in the United States, not just citizens.

The First Amendment protects five freedoms: religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

Becoming a Citizen

People become citizens by being born here under the 14th Amendment, by naturalizing, or by deriving citizenship as set by Congress.

New citizens promise to defend the Constitution, obey U.S. laws, and give up loyalty to other countries in the Oath of Allegiance.

Taking the Oath of Allegiance at a ceremony is the final step to becoming a citizen.

Participation and Duties

USCIS lists voting, paying taxes, obeying the law, serving in the military, running for office, and working for government as ways to serve the country.

All men age 18 through 25 need to register for the Selective Service. They must register within 30 days of their 18th birthday.

The 16th Amendment allows the federal income tax.

Civic participation includes voting, joining a civic group, and helping with a campaign. The real test asks for two examples.

The Electoral College decides who is elected president. It was a compromise between a popular vote and having Congress pick the President.

Civil War and Slavery

The Civil War was fought between the North and the South. It began at Fort Sumter in 1861 and ended in 1865.

The Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved people in the Confederate states. The 13th Amendment ended slavery everywhere in the United States.

The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the biggest battles of the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president, led the country during the Civil War, and gave the Gettysburg Address.

The U.S. war that ended slavery was the Civil War.

Civil Rights and Voting Rights

The 14th Amendment defines citizenship for people born or naturalized in the U.S.

The 15th Amendment was ratified in 1870 and barred denying citizens the vote based on race, color or previous servitude.

Susan B. Anthony fought for women's right to vote in the 1800s.

The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920 and barred denial of voting rights based on sex.

The civil rights movement fought to end racial discrimination. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for civil rights and gave the 'I Have a Dream' speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

Wars and Events of the 1900s

The United States entered World War I in 1917 after Germany attacked U.S. civilian ships.

The Great Depression was the longest economic recession in modern history. It began with the stock market crash of 1929.

Franklin Roosevelt was president during the Great Depression and World War II.

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing the U.S. into World War II.

The Korean War and Vietnam War were fought to stop the spread of communism.

The Persian Gulf War was fought to force the Iraqi military from Kuwait.

Cold War and Recent America

The Soviet Union was the United States' main rival during the Cold War.

A main concern during the Cold War was nuclear war or communism.

On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States, hitting the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

After the September 11 attacks, the U.S. fought the War on Terror, including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Dwight Eisenhower signed the law creating the Interstate highways.

The Louisiana Territory was bought from France in 1803. The Mexican-American War was a U.S. war in the 1800s.

Wars in the 1900s included World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf War.

The assembly line is an American innovation on the civics test. Henry Ford started using a moving assembly line in 1913.

Cherokee is an American Indian tribe in the United States.

Flag and Pledge

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

The 50-star flag has flown since July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became a state.

The Pledge of Allegiance shows loyalty to the United States and the flag.

Symbols

The capital of the United States is Washington, D.C.

The Statue of Liberty is on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. It was a gift from France.

The national anthem is 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Francis Scott Key wrote the words in 1814.

The nation's first motto was 'E Pluribus Unum,' meaning 'Out of many, one.'

Holidays

Independence Day is July 4 and celebrates independence from Britain.

Memorial Day honors soldiers who died in military service. It is the last Monday in May.

Veterans Day honors everyone who has served in the military. It is November 11.

Juneteenth is a national U.S. holiday that became a federal holiday in 2021. It marks news of freedom reaching enslaved people in Galveston, Texas in 1865.