US citizenship civics · Theme 1 · 5 min read
Principles of American Government
The ideas behind the US system of government: the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the rule of law and the reasons for three branches. Questions 1 to 15 of the 2025 civics test, with every accepted answer.
About this section
These 15 questions open the civics pool. They ask about the founding documents and the ideas they share, such as self-government, equality and the rule of law. Learn the accepted answers below; for questions that ask you to "name one", any single answer on the list is enough.
This section belongs to American Government, one of the three parts of the official USCIS 2025 civics test. At the interview the officer asks up to 20 of the 128 questions, and you need 12 correct answers to pass. Questions marked 65/20 are the 20 that applicants aged 65 or older with 20 or more years as a permanent resident may study instead; they are asked 10 of them and need 6 correct. The 2025 test applies if you filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025; earlier filers take the 2008 version.
The questions
1. What is the form of government of the United States?
Accepted answers:
- Republic
- Constitution-based federal republic
- Representative democracy
The United States is a republic: citizens elect representatives to make decisions for them, and the national government works within limits set by the Constitution.
2. What is the supreme law of the land?
65/20 question
Accepted answer:
- (U.S.) Constitution
The Constitution sits above every other law in the country. Federal and state laws, and the actions of every official, must be consistent with it.
3. Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does.
Accepted answers:
- Forms the government
- Defines powers of government
- Defines the parts of government
- Protects the rights of the people
The Constitution sets up the national government, divides it into parts, spells out what each part may do and protects the rights of the people.
4. The U.S. Constitution starts with the words “We the People.” What does “We the People” mean?
Accepted answers:
- Self-government
- Popular sovereignty
- Consent of the governed
- People should govern themselves
- (Example of) social contract
The opening words show that the government’s power comes from the people themselves, not from a king or a ruling group.
5. How are changes made to the U.S. Constitution?
Accepted answers:
- Amendments
- The amendment process
The Constitution is changed by adding amendments. An amendment must be proposed and then ratified by the states, so changes are deliberately hard to make.
6. What does the Bill of Rights protect?
Accepted answers:
- (The basic) rights of Americans
- (The basic) rights of people living in the United States
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. It protects basic freedoms, such as speech and religion, for people living in the United States.
7. How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have?
65/20 question
Accepted answer:
- Twenty-seven (27)
The Constitution has been amended 27 times. The first ten amendments, adopted together, are known as the Bill of Rights.
8. Why is the Declaration of Independence important?
Accepted answers:
- It says America is free from British control.
- It says all people are created equal.
- It identifies inherent rights.
- It identifies individual freedoms.
Adopted in 1776, the Declaration announced that the colonies were free of British rule and set out the principle that all people are created equal, with rights that cannot be taken away.
9. What founding document said the American colonies were free from Britain?
Accepted answer:
- Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, announced that the 13 colonies were no longer under British rule.
10. Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Accepted answers:
- Equality
- Liberty
- Social contract
- Natural rights
- Limited government
- Self-government
Both documents rest on ideas such as equality, liberty and limited government. On the real test you would give two of the accepted ideas.
11. The words “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are in what founding document?
Accepted answer:
- Declaration of Independence
These words come from the Declaration of Independence, which describes them as rights that all people are born with.
12. What is the economic system of the United States?
65/20 question
Accepted answers:
- Capitalism
- Free market economy
The U.S. economy is market-based: private individuals and businesses own property and decide what to produce, buy and sell.
13. What is the rule of law?
Accepted answers:
- Everyone must follow the law.
- Leaders must obey the law.
- Government must obey the law.
- No one is above the law.
The rule of law means the law applies equally to everyone, including the President, members of Congress and the government itself.
14. Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution. Name one.
Accepted answers:
- Declaration of Independence
- Articles of Confederation
- Federalist Papers
- Anti-Federalist Papers
- Virginia Declaration of Rights
- Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
- Mayflower Compact
- Iroquois Great Law of Peace
The framers drew on earlier American documents and ideas, from colonial agreements such as the Mayflower Compact to the Articles of Confederation, the first national plan of government.
15. There are three branches of government. Why?
Accepted answers:
- So one part does not become too powerful
- Checks and balances
- Separation of powers
Splitting power among three branches, each able to check the others, stops any one person or group from taking too much control.
Check yourself
- What is the supreme law of the land?
- How many amendments does the Constitution have?
- What does "We the People" mean?
- What is the economic system of the United States?
- Why are there three branches of government?
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