US Citizenship Reading Test — Places and Geography Vocabulary

The AMERICAN FLAG has 50 STARS, one for each of the 50 STATES in the United States. It also has 13 STRIPES (alternating red and white), representing the original 13 colonies that declared independence. Sample reading test sentences: 'The flag has 50 stars.' 'The American flag is red, white, and blue.' 'The flag has 13 stripes.' 'We have a flag.' 'AMERICAN FLAG' is on the USCIS CIVICS VOCABULARY list. The current 50-star design has been used since July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959 (Alaska became the 49th in 1959 as well). The flag is officially called the 'Stars and Stripes' or 'Old Glory.' It is displayed: on federal buildings; outside many homes and businesses; in classrooms across the country (along with the Pledge of Allegiance); at major sporting events (with the National Anthem); on holidays especially Independence Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Flag Day (June 14). Proper flag etiquette includes: never letting it touch the ground; folding into a triangle for storage; flying at half-staff to honor deaths; replacing when worn or damaged. The Pledge of Allegiance is recited to the flag.

RIGHTS is on the USCIS CIVICS VOCABULARY list. Rights are FREEDOMS and PROTECTIONS guaranteed to people under the U.S. Constitution, particularly the BILL OF RIGHTS (the first 10 amendments). Important rights include: FREEDOM OF SPEECH (1st Amendment); FREEDOM OF RELIGION (1st Amendment); FREEDOM OF THE PRESS (1st Amendment); RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE PEACEFULLY (1st Amendment); RIGHT TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT (1st Amendment); RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS (2nd Amendment); RIGHT AGAINST UNREASONABLE SEARCHES (4th Amendment); RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS (5th & 14th Amendments); RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL (6th Amendment); RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT (5th Amendment, Miranda rights); RIGHT TO VOTE (multiple amendments expanded who could vote). Sample reading test sentences: 'A right is something the government cannot take.' 'The Bill of Rights has rights.' 'People have rights.' RIGHTS apply: (1) to all PERSONS in the U.S. (citizens and non-citizens) for most rights; (2) some rights are ONLY for citizens (voting in federal elections, jury duty, running for federal office). The phrase 'inalienable rights' from the Declaration of Independence reflects the foundational American idea that human rights come from God or nature, not from government, and cannot be taken away.

AMERICA is on the USCIS PLACES VOCABULARY list. It refers to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The U.S. is located on the continent of NORTH AMERICA. Reading test sentences: 'America is in North America.' 'America is a country.' 'America has fifty states.' 'America has a flag.' 'I am happy to live in America.' Technically, 'America' can refer to the entire American continent (North America + South America), but in everyday American English usage, 'America' typically means the United States. The USCIS test uses 'America' in this everyday sense. Other names for the country: UNITED STATES; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; USA; U.S.; U.S.A.; the States. The United States is bordered by: Canada to the north; Mexico to the south; the Atlantic Ocean to the east; the Pacific Ocean to the west. The U.S. consists of 50 states (48 contiguous states, plus Alaska and Hawaii), and several territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands). The capital city is Washington, D.C.

SENATORS is on the USCIS CIVICS VOCABULARY list. There are 100 U.S. SENATORS — 2 from each of the 50 states. Senators are part of CONGRESS (the legislative branch); they make up the SENATE (the upper chamber). They serve 6-year terms (longest term of any elected federal office except Supreme Court justices, who serve for life). Senators must be at least 30 years old, U.S. citizens for at least 9 years, and residents of the state they represent. Senate powers (in addition to passing laws with the House): RATIFY TREATIES with foreign nations (2/3 vote required); CONFIRM presidential appointments (Cabinet, federal judges including Supreme Court, ambassadors); TRY IMPEACHMENT cases (after the House impeaches an official, the Senate tries them; 2/3 vote needed for conviction and removal). The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate, but only votes to break ties. Sample reading test sentences: 'Senators meet in the Senate.' 'The President meets with Senators.' 'States have two Senators each.' 'Senators are elected by the people.' Senators may be addressed as 'Senator [Last Name].' Famous past Senators include John F. Kennedy (later President), Barack Obama (later President), Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Ted Kennedy, and many others. The Senate has been called 'the world's greatest deliberative body.'

THANKSGIVING is on the USCIS HOLIDAYS VOCABULARY list. It is celebrated on the FOURTH THURSDAY OF NOVEMBER each year — a major American federal holiday focused on GRATITUDE, FAMILY, and the harvest. Origins: traditionally traced to a 1621 feast shared by the Pilgrims (English colonists at Plymouth) and the Wampanoag Native Americans after the colonists' first successful harvest in the New World. President Abraham Lincoln declared a national Thanksgiving Day in 1863 during the Civil War. In 1941, Congress made it a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Sample reading test sentences: 'Thanksgiving is in November.' 'We have Thanksgiving Day.' 'Thanksgiving is a holiday.' Typical Thanksgiving traditions: FAMILY GATHERING and meal; TURKEY (centerpiece of the meal — Thanksgiving is sometimes called 'Turkey Day'); stuffing/dressing; cranberry sauce; sweet potatoes; pumpkin pie; mashed potatoes; gravy; green bean casserole. PARADES (Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, televised nationally); FOOTBALL games; the President officially 'pardons' a turkey at the White House (since the 1980s as formal tradition); volunteering at soup kitchens and food banks. The day after Thanksgiving is BLACK FRIDAY, the traditional start of Christmas shopping season — one of the busiest shopping days. Many Americans travel home for Thanksgiving, making it one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

VOTE is on the USCIS VERBS VOCABULARY list. The sentence 'The people vote for the President' captures a foundational principle of American democracy: ELECTIONS by eligible voters determine who holds elected office. Sample reading test sentences: 'People vote in elections.' 'Citizens can vote.' 'We vote for President.' 'Vote on Election Day.' Presidential elections in the U.S. occur every 4 YEARS (in years divisible by 4: 2020, 2024, 2028). Election Day is the TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY OF NOVEMBER. The Electoral College system means citizens vote for their state's ELECTORS, who then vote for President. A candidate needs 270 of 538 electoral votes to win. ELIGIBLE VOTERS in federal elections: U.S. CITIZENS who are 18+ and registered. Voting requirements vary slightly by state. Voting rights have expanded historically: 15TH AMENDMENT (1870) — voting rights regardless of race; 19TH AMENDMENT (1920) — women's right to vote; 24TH AMENDMENT (1964) — abolished poll taxes; 26TH AMENDMENT (1971) — lowered voting age to 18. Today, virtually all citizens 18+ are eligible to vote (with some exceptions: typically felons currently incarcerated, depending on state law; those declared mentally incompetent by a court). Voting is considered both a RIGHT and a RESPONSIBILITY of citizens.

COUNTRY is on the USCIS CIVICS VOCABULARY list. In the political sense, a COUNTRY is a NATION — an independent political community with a defined territory and government. The UNITED STATES is a COUNTRY with 50 STATES. Sample reading test sentences: 'The country has 50 states.' 'America is a country.' 'We live in a country.' Note: the word 'country' can have multiple meanings in English: (1) NATION (the political/civic meaning, used on the test); (2) RURAL AREAS (countryside, as opposed to cities — e.g., 'They live in the country'); (3) A STYLE OF MUSIC (country music — uniquely American, originated in the rural South). On the USCIS reading test, 'country' always refers to a NATION. Other vocabulary in this category: NATION (similar meaning to country); STATE (a political subdivision OR an entire nation in some contexts, but on the USCIS test usually refers to one of the 50 U.S. states). Examples of countries in North America: United States, Canada, Mexico. The U.S. became an independent country on JULY 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

Sample reading test question: 'Who is the first President?' Answer: GEORGE WASHINGTON. This is a common question pattern on the USCIS reading test: a WH-QUESTION word + a sentence asking about a fact from the civics curriculum. Other similar question patterns: 'WHEN is Independence Day?' → July 4. 'WHERE does the President live?' → The White House. 'WHAT is the capital of the United States?' → Washington, D.C. 'WHO was George Washington?' → The first President. 'WHO was Abraham Lincoln?' → The 16th President (or: The President who freed the slaves). The reading test combines vocabulary from multiple categories: PEOPLE (Washington, Lincoln), CIVICS (President), PLACES (Washington, the capital), HOLIDAYS, QUESTION WORDS, and VERBS. Note: Benjamin Franklin, although a famous Founding Father, was NEVER President. He played key roles in: drafting the Declaration of Independence; representing the U.S. as ambassador to France; helping negotiate the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War; serving as President of Pennsylvania (a state-level office). Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President (1861-1865). Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd President (1801-1809) and wrote most of the Declaration of Independence.

Sample reading test sentence: 'Citizens can vote.' This describes both a RIGHT and a RESPONSIBILITY of U.S. citizenship. CITIZEN is on the USCIS CIVICS VOCABULARY list. Becoming a U.S. citizen brings new rights and responsibilities. RIGHTS ONLY FOR CITIZENS: VOTING in federal elections; RUNNING for federal office; SERVING on a jury; getting a U.S. PASSPORT; bringing certain family members to live in the U.S.; receiving certain government jobs; CANNOT BE DEPORTED. RIGHTS for all in the U.S. (citizens and non-citizens): freedom of speech, religion, assembly, petition, press; right to bear arms; right to due process and fair trial; right against unreasonable searches; right to remain silent. RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENS: vote in elections; serve on a jury when called; obey the law; respect the rights of others; participate in democracy; pay taxes; defend the country (military service if drafted); stay informed about issues. RESPONSIBILITIES for all in the U.S. (citizens and non-citizens): obey the law; pay federal income taxes; men 18-25 must register for Selective Service. Citizens can become 'NATURALIZED' — non-citizens who legally meet requirements (residency, English language, civics knowledge, good moral character) can become citizens through naturalization, the process this test is part of. People can also be BORN citizens (born in the U.S. or to U.S. citizen parents abroad).

PRESIDENT is on the USCIS CIVICS VOCABULARY list. The President of the United States is the head of the EXECUTIVE BRANCH of the federal government and is often called the leader of the country. The President's roles include: CHIEF EXECUTIVE (enforces federal laws); COMMANDER IN CHIEF (head of the armed forces); CHIEF DIPLOMAT (makes treaties with foreign nations, with Senate approval); CHIEF LEGISLATOR (signs or vetoes bills passed by Congress; recommends legislation); HEAD OF STATE (represents the country at home and abroad); HEAD OF GOVERNMENT (manages the executive departments). Requirements to be President: at least 35 YEARS OLD; NATURAL-BORN U.S. CITIZEN; resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years. ELECTION: presidential elections occur every 4 YEARS (years divisible by 4); citizens vote, and the Electoral College determines the winner (270 of 538 electoral votes needed). TERM LIMITS: maximum 2 elected terms (22nd Amendment, 1951). SUCCESSION: Vice President is first in line; then Speaker of the House; then President pro tempore of the Senate; then Secretary of State; and continuing through other Cabinet positions. Sample reading test sentences: 'The President is the leader.' 'The President lives in the White House.' 'The President signs bills.' 'The people elect the President.' Note the question-and-answer connection: 'Who is the President?' / 'The President is the leader of the United States.'