128 Civics Questions and Answers: The Full 2026 Test

The 128 civics questions are the current naturalization test. USCIS publishes them as document M-1778, and they replace the old list of 100 for anyone who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025.

The bank grew by 28 questions, but that is the smaller half of the change. The officer now asks 20 questions instead of 10, and the pass mark moved from 6 correct to 12. This page gives all 128 civics questions and answers in order, with the answers officers accept, and covers how the test is scored and how to work through it without drowning.

The 128 civics questions form the 2025 test, for anyone who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025. A USCIS system picks 20 at random and an officer asks them out loud. You pass at 12 correct. Twenty questions carry a star for the 65/20 exemption. USCIS publishes the list free as M-1778, and every question and answer is below.

What’s New in 2026 About the 128 Civics Questions

This list is the change.

USCIS is implementing the 2025 naturalization civics test to align with Executive Order 14161. Applications filed before October 20, 2025 keep the 2008 test, drawn from 100 questions with 6 correct out of 10 to pass. Applications filed on or after that date use the 128 questions, with 12 correct out of 20 to pass.

Three things moved at once. The bank got bigger, the test got longer, and the pass mark got higher in absolute terms.

The questions were also rewritten rather than simply added to. Some carry over word for word. Others were reworded, many answers are now given as a set of options rather than a single phrase, and a number of the new questions ask you to reason about how government works rather than recall a fact. Study sheets copied from before late 2025 teach answers in the wrong form.

How the 128 Civics Questions Are Scored

The mechanics decide how you should study, so they are worth knowing exactly.

The civics test is oral. A USCIS system randomly selects 20 questions from the bank of 128, and an officer asks them out loud across the desk. There is no multiple choice and nothing in front of you.

You pass by answering at least 12 correctly. The officer stops once you reach 12, which is why some people report a 12-question test and others report a full 20.

Because the selection is random, no part of the list is safe to skip. A gap of ten questions is a real chance of four wrong answers arriving in a row.

Many questions accept several answers. When a question says “name one”, one correct answer is enough, so learn one well rather than three badly. USCIS notes there may be additional correct answers but asks you to use the ones it publishes, because that is the sheet the officer is working from.

How to Use the 128 Civics Questions and Answers Below

Reading the list end to end will feel productive and teach you almost nothing.

Cover the answers. Read a question, say your answer out loud, then uncover and check. That moment of effort is what builds a memory you can reach under pressure.

Work in blocks of about a dozen, then shuffle. A block studied in order is easier than the same questions scattered, because the topic is doing half the work for you. The officer will not do that.

Mark yourself hard. A ten second pause counts as a miss. A vague answer counts as a miss. Put every miss on a list and start the next session there.

The list runs in three parts: American Government (questions 1 to 72), American History (73 to 115), and Symbols and Holidays (116 to 128). A star marks the 20 questions set aside for the 65/20 exemption.

American Government: Questions 1 to 72

The largest section by a wide margin, and where most of your 20 questions will come from. It covers the principles of American government, the system of government, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. It is also the section where the 2025 test added the most new material.

• 1. What is the form of government of the United States? Republic / Constitution-based federal republic / Representative democracy
• 2. What is the supreme law of the land? ★ (U.S.) Constitution
• 3. Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does. Forms the government / Defines powers of government / Defines the parts of government
• 4. The U.S. Constitution starts with the words “We the People.” What does “We the People” mean? Self-government / Popular sovereignty / Consent of the governed
• 5. How are changes made to the U.S. Constitution? Amendments / The amendment process
• 6. What does the Bill of Rights protect? (The basic) rights of Americans / (The basic) rights of people living in the United States
• 7. How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have? ★ Twenty-seven (27)
• 8. Why is the Declaration of Independence important? It says America is free from British control / It says all people are created equal / It identifies inherent rights
• 9. What founding document said the American colonies were free from Britain? Declaration of Independence
• 10. Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Equality / Liberty / Social contract
• 11. The words “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are in what founding document? Declaration of Independence
• 12. What is the economic system of the United States? ★ Capitalism / Free market economy
• 13. What is the rule of law? Everyone must follow the law / Leaders must obey the law / Government must obey the law
• 14. Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution. Name one. Declaration of Independence / Articles of Confederation / Federalist Papers
• 15. There are three branches of government. Why? So one part does not become too powerful / Checks and balances / Separation of powers
• 16. Name the three branches of government. Legislative, executive, and judicial / Congress, president, and the courts
• 17. The President of the United States is in charge of which branch of government? Executive branch
• 18. What part of the federal government writes laws? (U.S.) Congress / (U.S. or national) legislature / Legislative branch
• 19. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? Senate and House (of Representatives)
• 20. Name one power of the U.S. Congress. ★ Writes laws / Declares war / Makes the federal budget
• 21. How many U.S. senators are there? One hundred (100)
• 22. How long is a term for a U.S. senator? Six (6) years
• 23. Who is one of your state’s U.S. senators now? Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories should answer that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. senators.]
• 24. How many voting members are in the House of Representatives? Four hundred thirty-five (435)
• 25. How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives? Two (2) years
• 26. Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators? To more closely follow public opinion
• 27. How many senators does each state have? Two (2)
• 28. Why does each state have two senators? Equal representation (for small states) / The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
• 29. Name your U.S. representative. Answers will vary. [Residents of territories with nonvoting Delegates or Resident Commissioners may provide the name of that Delegate or Commissioner. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) representatives in Congress.]
• 30. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? ★ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. As of September 23, 2026: Mike Johnson
• 31. Who does a U.S. senator represent? Citizens of their state / People of their state
• 32. Who elects U.S. senators? Citizens from their state
• 33. Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent? Citizens in their (congressional) district / Citizens in their district / People from their (congressional) district
• 34. Who elects members of the House of Representatives? Citizens from their (congressional) district
• 35. Some states have more representatives than other states. Why? (Because of) the state’s population / (Because) they have more people / (Because) some states have more people
• 36. The President of the United States is elected for how many years? ★ Four (4) years
• 37. The President of the United States can serve only two terms. Why? (Because of) the 22nd Amendment / To keep the president from becoming too powerful
• 38. What is the name of the President of the United States now? ★ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the President of the United States. As of September 23, 2026: Donald J. Trump
• 39. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? ★ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Vice President of the United States. As of September 23, 2026: JD Vance
• 40. If the president can no longer serve, who becomes president? The Vice President (of the United States)
• 41. Name one power of the president. Signs bills into law / Vetoes bills / Enforces laws
• 42. Who is Commander in Chief of the U.S. military? The President (of the United States)
• 43. Who signs bills to become laws? The President (of the United States)
• 44. Who vetoes bills? ★ The President (of the United States)
• 45. Who appoints federal judges? The President (of the United States)
• 46. The executive branch has many parts. Name one. President (of the United States) / Cabinet / Federal departments and agencies
• 47. What does the President’s Cabinet do? Advises the President (of the United States)
• 48. What are two Cabinet-level positions? Attorney General / Secretary of Agriculture / Secretary of Commerce
• 49. Why is the Electoral College important? It decides who is elected president / It provides a compromise between the popular election of the president and congressional selection
• 50. What is one part of the judicial branch? Supreme Court / Federal Courts
• 51. What does the judicial branch do? Reviews laws / Explains laws / Resolves disputes (disagreements) about the law
• 52. What is the highest court in the United States? ★ Supreme Court
• 53. How many seats are on the Supreme Court? Nine (9)
• 54. How many Supreme Court justices are usually needed to decide a case? Five (5)
• 55. How long do Supreme Court justices serve? (For) life / Lifetime appointment / (Until) retirement
• 56. Supreme Court justices serve for life. Why? To be independent (of politics) / To limit outside (political) influence
• 57. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Chief Justice of the United States. As of September 23, 2026: John Roberts
• 58. Name one power that is only for the federal government. Print paper money / Mint coins / Declare war
• 59. Name one power that is only for the states. Provide schooling and education / Provide protection (police) / Provide safety (fire departments)
• 60. What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment? (It states that the) powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people
• 61. Who is the governor of your state now? ★ Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a governor.]
• 62. What is the capital of your state? Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.]
• 63. There are four amendments to the U.S. Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote) / You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote / Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
• 64. Who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the United States? Citizens / Citizens of the United States / U.S. citizens
• 65. What are three rights of everyone living in the United States? Freedom of expression / Freedom of speech / Freedom of assembly
• 66. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? ★ The United States / The flag
• 67. Name two promises that new citizens make in the Oath of Allegiance. Give up loyalty to other countries / Defend the (U.S.) Constitution / Obey the laws of the United States
• 68. How can people become United States citizens? Be born in the United States, under the conditions set by the 14th Amendment / Naturalize / Derive citizenship (under conditions set by Congress)
• 69. What are two examples of civic participation in the United States? Vote / Run for office / Join a political party
• 70. What is one way Americans can serve their country? Vote / Pay taxes / Obey the law
• 71. Why is it important to pay federal taxes? Required by law / All people pay to fund the federal government / Required by the (U.S.) Constitution (16th Amendment)
• 72. It is important for all men age 18 through 25 to register for the Selective Service. Name one reason why. Required by law / Civic duty / Makes the draft fair, if needed

American History: Questions 73 to 115

Forty-three questions covering the colonial period and independence, the 1800s, then recent American history through the World Wars, the Cold War, and the civil rights movement.

• 73. The colonists came to America for many reasons. Name one. Freedom / Political liberty / Religious freedom
• 74. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? ★ American Indians / Native Americans
• 75. What group of people was taken and sold as slaves? Africans / People from Africa
• 76. What war did the Americans fight to win independence from Britain? American Revolution / The (American) Revolutionary War / War for (American) Independence
• 77. Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain. High taxes / Taxation without representation / British soldiers stayed in Americans’ houses (boarding, quartering)
• 78. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? ★ (Thomas) Jefferson
• 79. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? July 4, 1776
• 80. The American Revolution had many important events. Name one. (Battle of) Bunker Hill / Declaration of Independence / Washington Crossing the Delaware (Battle of Trenton)
• 81. There were 13 original states. Name five. New Hampshire / Massachusetts / Rhode Island
• 82. What founding document was written in 1787? (U.S.) Constitution
• 83. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers. (James) Madison / (Alexander) Hamilton / (John) Jay
• 84. Why were the Federalist Papers important? They helped people understand the (U.S.) Constitution / They supported passing the (U.S.) Constitution
• 85. Benjamin Franklin is famous for many things. Name one. Founded the first free public libraries / First Postmaster General of the United States / Helped write the Declaration of Independence
• 86. George Washington is famous for many things. Name one. ★ “Father of Our Country” / First president of the United States / General of the Continental Army
• 87. Thomas Jefferson is famous for many things. Name one. Writer of the Declaration of Independence / Third president of the United States / Doubled the size of the United States (Louisiana Purchase)
• 88. James Madison is famous for many things. Name one. “Father of the Constitution” / Fourth president of the United States / President during the War of 1812
• 89. Alexander Hamilton is famous for many things. Name one. First Secretary of the Treasury / One of the writers of the Federalist Papers / Helped establish the First Bank of the United States
• 90. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? Louisiana Territory / Louisiana
• 91. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. War of 1812 / Mexican-American War / Civil War
• 92. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South. The Civil War
• 93. The Civil War had many important events. Name one. (Battle of) Fort Sumter / Emancipation Proclamation / (Battle of) Vicksburg
• 94. Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one. ★ Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation) / Saved (or preserved) the Union / Led the United States during the Civil War
• 95. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? Freed the slaves / Freed slaves in the Confederacy / Freed slaves in the Confederate states
• 96. What U.S. war ended slavery? The Civil War
• 97. What amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens? 14th Amendment
• 98. When did all men get the right to vote? After the Civil War / During Reconstruction / (With the) 15th Amendment
• 99. Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s. Susan B. Anthony / Elizabeth Cady Stanton / Sojourner Truth
• 100. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. World War I / World War II / Korean War
• 101. Why did the United States enter World War I? Because Germany attacked U.S. (civilian) ships / To support the Allied Powers (England, France, Italy, and Russia) / To oppose the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria)
• 102. When did all women get the right to vote? 1920 / After World War I / (With the) 19th Amendment
• 103. What was the Great Depression? Longest economic recession in modern history
• 104. When did the Great Depression start? The Great Crash (1929) / Stock market crash of 1929
• 105. Who was president during the Great Depression and World War II? (Franklin) Roosevelt
• 106. Why did the United States enter World War II? (Bombing of) Pearl Harbor / Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor / To support the Allied Powers (England, France, and Russia)
• 107. Dwight Eisenhower is famous for many things. Name one. General during World War II / President at the end of (during) the Korean War / 34th president of the United States
• 108. Who was the United States’ main rival during the Cold War? Soviet Union / USSR / Russia
• 109. During the Cold War, what was one main concern of the United States? Communism / Nuclear war
• 110. Why did the United States enter the Korean War? To stop the spread of communism
• 111. Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War? To stop the spread of communism
• 112. What did the civil rights movement do? Fought to end racial discrimination
• 113. Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for many things. Name one. ★ Fought for civil rights / Worked for equality for all Americans / Worked to ensure that people would “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”
• 114. Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War? To force the Iraqi military from Kuwait
• 115. What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States? ★ Terrorists attacked the United States / Terrorists took over two planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City / Terrorists took over a plane and crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia

Symbols and Holidays: Questions 116 to 128

The shortest section and the easiest marks on the list. Geography, the flag, national symbols, and the national holidays.

• 116. Name one U.S. military conflict after the September 11, 2001 attacks. (Global) War on Terror / War in Afghanistan / War in Iraq
• 117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. Apache / Blackfeet / Cayuga
• 118. Name one example of an American innovation. Light bulb / Automobile (cars, internal combustion engine) / Skyscrapers
• 119. What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C
• 120. Where is the Statue of Liberty? New York (Harbor) / Liberty Island [Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
• 121. Why does the flag have 13 stripes? ★ (Because there were) 13 original colonies / (Because the stripes) represent the original colonies
• 122. Why does the flag have 50 stars? (Because there is) one star for each state / (Because) each star represents a state / (Because there are) 50 states
• 123. What is the name of the national anthem? The Star-Spangled Banner
• 124. The Nation’s first motto was “E Pluribus Unum.” What does that mean? Out of many, one / We all become one
• 125. What is Independence Day? A holiday to celebrate U.S. independence (from Britain) / The country’s birthday
• 126. Name three national U.S. holidays. ★ New Year’s Day / Martin Luther King, Jr. Day / Presidents Day (Washington’s Birthday)
• 127. What is Memorial Day? A holiday to honor soldiers who died in military service
• 128. What is Veterans Day? A holiday to honor people in the (U.S.) military / A holiday to honor people who have served (in the U.S. military)

The 20 Starred Questions for the 65/20 Exemption

Twenty of the 128 carry a star in the list above, and they matter to a specific group of applicants.

If you are 65 or older and have been a lawful permanent resident for 20 years or more, you may study just the starred questions. The officer asks 10 of those 20 and you pass at 6 correct, which is 60 percent. You may also take the civics test in a language of your choice.

The starred set from the 2025 list is questions 2, 7, 12, 20, 30, 36, 38, 39, 44, 52, 61, 66, 74, 78, 86, 94, 113, 115, 121 and 126. Each one appears above with its full official answers.

If you do not meet both the age and residence thresholds, these 20 are not a shortcut. They are simply 20 of your 128.

The Answers That Depend on You

Some of the 128 civics questions have no fixed answer on the sheet.

Your senators, your representative and your state capital depend on where you live. The published answer for those is “answers will vary”, and the officer expects the answer for your own address.

Questions about the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House and the Chief Justice depend on when your interview happens. USCIS handles these by pointing you to its civics test updates page, and expects the name of the person serving at the time of your naturalization interview. See civics answers that change for the current names.

Residents of the District of Columbia and of U.S. territories have their own correct answers. The District has no U.S. senators and no governor, and the published notes say so.

Write your own answers on a card in week one and test them in every session. They are among the cheapest marks on the test and the easiest to arrive without.

What Changed When 100 Civics Questions Became 128

The new questions are not filler. They ask for a different kind of thinking.

The 2008 list leaned on recall of single facts. Who was the first President. How many amendments the Constitution has. What the two major political parties are.

The 2025 list keeps that kind of question and adds ones that ask why the system is built the way it is. Why representatives serve shorter terms than senators, with the accepted answer being to more closely follow public opinion. Why each state has two senators, which comes down to equal representation and the Great Compromise. Why there are three branches at all.

Several familiar questions were reworded. The old test asked “what does the Constitution do” and accepted “sets up the government”. The 2025 version asks you to name one thing the U.S. Constitution does and lists forming the government, defining its powers, defining its parts, and protecting the rights of the people.

History went wider too. The 2025 list asks what founding document said the colonies were free from Britain, what the Emancipation Proclamation did, and what major event happened on September 11, 2001.

The practical effect is simple. Answers memorized from a 2008 study sheet will often be close enough to feel right and worded differently from what the officer has in front of them.

What the Test Feels Like in the Room

The exchange is plainer and faster than most people picture.

The officer says a question once, in a normal voice, and waits. You answer. They mark something and move on, with no discussion and no sign of whether you were right.

Short answers win. Give the answer and stop talking, because extra detail is not scored and it gives you more room to contradict yourself.

If you did not hear a question clearly, ask the officer to repeat it. That is ordinary and it costs nothing. Guessing at a question you half heard is far more expensive than asking.

The civics test also sits inside a longer appointment. The officer puts you under oath and reviews your Form N-400 first, then runs the civics questions, then the reading and writing test. You leave holding Form N-652, the notice that records your result.

A Four-Week Plan for 128 Civics Questions

A hundred and twenty-eight questions sounds worse than it is. That is about six new questions a day for three weeks, with a week left over.

Week 1: American Government, in blocks. Take a dozen questions a day from questions 1 to 72. Cover the answer, say yours out loud, then check. Do not chase retention yet.

Week 2: History, symbols and holidays. Work questions 73 to 128 the same way. Start each session with five questions from last week so nothing goes cold.

Week 3: Shuffle everything. Random draws from the whole bank, spoken answers, no topic grouping. Start writing down every question you drop.

Week 4: Mock tests and misses. Run 20 random questions most days and score honestly. Treat 17 out of 20 as ready rather than 12. Spend the rest of the time only on your miss list.

Add the English portion two or three times a week. You read one sentence out of three aloud and write one sentence out of three by hand, both from the official USCIS vocabulary lists.

If your interview is closer than four weeks, keep the same order and shorten every stage. Covering the whole bank thinly beats covering half of it well, because the draw does not care which half you studied.

Three Mistakes That Cost People the 2025 Test

The bigger bank makes old habits more expensive than they used to be.

Mistake 1: Studying a shortlist. Lists of “the 20 most common questions” circulate widely and describe nothing real. Your 20 are selected at random by a USCIS system from all 128, so a shortlist leaves more than a hundred questions untested.

Mistake 2: Using 2008 answers on the 2025 test. The wording moved. An answer that would have passed two years ago can be close enough to sound right and different enough to be marked wrong.

Mistake 3: Practicing in silence. The test is spoken. An answer you can think but cannot say smoothly under mild pressure is not finished yet, and the gap only shows up when someone is watching.

For the exact pass mark under both test versions, see civics test passing score and how the civics test is scored.

The trickiest ones are covered in the hardest civics test questions.

FAQ

How many of the 128 civics questions will I be asked?

Up to 20. A USCIS system picks them at random from the whole bank of 128, and you pass by answering at least 12 correctly. The officer stops asking as soon as you reach 12 correct answers.

Do I take the 128-question test or the 100-question test?

Your Form N-400 filing date decides. Filed on or after October 20, 2025 means the 2025 test with 128 questions. Filed before that date means the 2008 test with 100 questions, which draws 10 questions and passes at 6 correct. Your receipt notice shows the date.

Are these the official 128 civics questions and answers?

Yes. They come from the USCIS document M-1778, 128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version). USCIS notes there may be other correct answers but encourages applicants to use the published ones, since officers work from that sheet.

Where can I download the official 128 civics questions?

USCIS publishes them free as document M-1778, titled 128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version). The Citizenship Resource Center also offers flash cards, MP3 audio, and practice tests for the 2025 version.

Do I have to memorize all 128 questions?

Yes, if you want a safe margin. The 20 you are asked are drawn at random, so any block you skip is a block that can appear. Only applicants who qualify for the 65/20 exemption may study the shorter starred list.

Do I have to learn every answer listed for a question?

No. Where a question says “name one”, a single correct answer is enough. Pick one answer per question and learn it properly rather than holding several half-formed versions.

Is the 2025 test harder than the old one?

It is longer and the bank is bigger, so it takes more study. The pass rate needed is similar in percentage terms: 12 of 20 is 60 percent, and 6 of 10 was also 60 percent.

Verdict: Working Through the 128 Civics Questions and Answers

The 128 civics questions and answers above are the complete civics test. There is no hidden set and no leaked list, because USCIS publishes every question and every accepted answer free as M-1778. The work is recall rather than research.

Confirm your filing date first, because studying the 100-question list by mistake wastes weeks. Then split the bank into daily blocks, say every answer out loud, and shuffle the order once you have been through it once. Keep a written list of the questions that keep beating you.

Twenty of these will be chosen for you at random. Learn all 128 and the draw stops mattering.