65/20 Civics — Rights and Responsibilities Questions

The CABINET is made up of the heads of the 15 executive departments plus the Vice President, who together advise the President. The USCIS Civics Question 37 asks for two Cabinet-level positions. Any two from this list are acceptable: Vice President; Secretary of State (foreign affairs); Secretary of the Treasury; Secretary of Defense; Attorney General (head of the Department of Justice); Secretary of the Interior; Secretary of Agriculture; Secretary of Commerce; Secretary of Labor; Secretary of Health and Human Services; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Secretary of Transportation; Secretary of Energy; Secretary of Education; Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Secretary of Homeland Security. Cabinet members are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They serve at the pleasure of the President — they can be dismissed at any time. Most Cabinet-level offices oversee large federal departments with thousands of employees.

The USCIS Civics Question 72 asks for one important thing Abraham Lincoln did. Three answers are acceptable: FREED THE SLAVES — Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved people in the Confederate states to be free; the 13th Amendment (1865) then abolished slavery throughout the entire nation; SAVED/PRESERVED THE UNION — Lincoln led the country through the Civil War (1861-1865) and preserved the United States as one nation; the Southern states had seceded and formed the Confederate States of America; LED THE UNITED STATES DURING THE CIVIL WAR — Lincoln was the 16th President (1861-1865) during the bloodiest conflict in American history. Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1809; he taught himself law; served in the Illinois state legislature; became President in 1861; was assassinated on April 14, 1865, just days after the Civil War ended.

The CONSTITUTION is the supreme law of the United States — this is stated explicitly in Article VI, Clause 2 (the Supremacy Clause): 'This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof...shall be the supreme Law of the Land.' USCIS Civics Question 1 asks for the supreme law of the land; the answer is simply 'the Constitution.' What this means: Federal laws must comply with the Constitution; state laws must comply with the Constitution; if Congress passes a law that violates the Constitution, the Supreme Court can declare it unconstitutional; the President cannot act in ways that violate the Constitution; even popular laws can be struck down if they conflict with the Constitution. The Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified in 1788; it established the structure of the federal government; the Bill of Rights (first 10 Amendments) was added in 1791 to protect individual rights. The Declaration of Independence is important historically but is NOT a law — it declared independence but did not create government. Federal statutes (laws) rank below the Constitution.

Four US states share a border with MEXICO along the southern border of the United States: CALIFORNIA (southwestern corner — San Diego is near the border); ARIZONA; NEW MEXICO; TEXAS (the longest US-Mexico border segment, including El Paso, Laredo, and Brownsville). The USCIS Civics Question 91 asks to name one state that borders Mexico — any one of these four is correct. Mexico is one of two countries that share a land border with the United States (the other being Canada to the north). The US-Mexico border is approximately 1,954 miles long. Other geography questions in the USCIS civics test: The Pacific Ocean is on the West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii); the Atlantic Ocean is on the East Coast; Canada shares the northern border; rivers including the Rio Grande form part of the US-Mexico border.

The USCIS Civics Question 53 asks for one promise made when becoming a US citizen. Acceptable answers are all drawn from the OATH OF ALLEGIANCE that every person recites at their naturalization ceremony: GIVE UP LOYALTY to other countries and governments; DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; OBEY THE LAWS of the United States; SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY if needed (required by law when requested); SERVE THE NATION in other ways (civilian service) if required; BE LOYAL TO THE UNITED STATES. THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE is a serious legal commitment. During the oath, the new citizen renounces all allegiance to foreign powers and swears to support and defend the Constitution. Most countries allow Americans to hold dual citizenship, but the US naturalizes based on this oath regardless. This is one of the most emotionally significant questions in the civics test — it connects to why people become citizens and what citizenship means.

As of 2024, the Constitution has 27 AMENDMENTS. The first 10 amendments, ratified in 1791, are called the BILL OF RIGHTS. The most recent amendment, the 27th (about Congressional pay raises), was ratified in 1992 — though it was first proposed in 1789. The amendment process requires two-thirds approval from both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures — a deliberately high bar ensuring amendments reflect genuine national consensus. USCIS Question 27 (65/20 list): 'How many amendments does the Constitution have?' Answer: twenty-seven (27).

The EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION (1863) freed enslaved people in the Confederate (rebel) states. USCIS Question 74 (65/20 list): 'What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?' — Accepted answers: freed the slaves; freed slaves in the Confederacy; freed slaves in the Confederate states; freed slaves in most Southern states. Note: It did not free slaves in the Border States that remained in the Union; the 13th Amendment (1865) abolished slavery throughout the entire United States. Lincoln issued it as a war measure and a moral turning point of the Civil War.

The FOUR VOTING AMENDMENTS are: 15th Amendment (1870) — citizens cannot be denied the vote based on race; 19th Amendment (1920) — citizens cannot be denied the vote based on sex (gave women the right to vote); 24th Amendment (1964) — citizens cannot be required to pay a poll tax to vote in federal elections; 26th Amendment (1971) — citizens 18 and older have the right to vote. USCIS Question 48 (65/20 list): 'There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.' Any of the four is a correct answer — the 26th Amendment (18-year-olds) is often the most remembered.

THE SUPREME COURT is the highest court in the United States. It is the final authority on: the meaning of the Constitution; federal law interpretation; disputes between states; and cases involving federal questions. Nine Justices serve: the Chief Justice of the United States and eight Associate Justices. They are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They serve for life (subject to good behavior) or until they retire or are removed through impeachment. USCIS Question 39 (65/20 list): 'What does the judicial branch do?' — Related question. The specific question about 'highest court' is Question 40: The Supreme Court.

The PACIFIC OCEAN borders the West Coast of the United States — including the states of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. The ATLANTIC OCEAN borders the East Coast. The GULF OF MEXICO borders parts of the South (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida). USCIS Question 88 (65/20 list): 'Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States' — separate question. 'What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?' is typically covered in geography questions. Answer: Pacific (Ocean).