The first 15 questions on the 2025 civics test are about the ideas the United States government is built on. Most of them come down to two documents, so start by keeping those apart.
Two documents, two jobs
- The Declaration of Independence (1776) said the colonies were free from Britain. It's where “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” comes from, and the idea that all people are created equal.
- The U.S. Constitution (1787) set up the government. It starts with “We the People,” and it's the supreme law of the land.
If a question mentions breaking from Britain or “pursuit of Happiness,” the answer is the Declaration. If it's about how the government works, it's the Constitution.
Amendments
The Constitution is changed through amendments. There are 27. The first ten are the Bill of Rights, which protects the basic rights of people living in the United States. A common mistake is answering 10: that's only the Bill of Rights.
Big ideas worth knowing by name
- We the People means self-government: the people hold the power (popular sovereignty, consent of the governed).
- Rule of law means no one is above the law, including leaders and the government.
- Three branches exist so one part doesn't become too powerful: checks and balances, separation of powers.
How the test works
An officer asks up to 20 of the 128 questions out loud, and you need 12 right. Three questions in this deck (2, 7 and 12) are also on the shorter list for the 65/20 special consideration. The answers here use USCIS's own wording; other correct answers may be accepted, but USCIS encourages the listed ones.
This deck is study help, not legal advice. For anything about your own application, go to uscis.gov.