• Six years (6)

“The Framers of the Constitution wanted senators to be independent from public opinion. They thought a fairly long, six-year term would give them this protection. They also wanted longer Senate terms to balance the shorter two-year terms of the members of the House, who would more closely follow public opinion. The Constitution puts no limit on the number of terms a senator may serve. Elections for U.S. senators take place on even-numbered years. Every two years, one-third of the senators are up for election.”

For the naturalization exam questions that are about the system of government, we are using the following image which can be found within the study guide in the system of government section.  The image is interactive and can be used to show the relationship between the branches of government and its functions.  Give it a try!

Naturalization exam question 20:  Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?

• One Hundred (100)

There are 100 senators in Congress, two from each state.

For the naturalization exam questions that are about the system of government, we are using the following image which can be found within the study guide in the system of government section.  The image is interactive and can be used to show the relationship between the branches of government and its functions.  Give it a try!

Naturalization exam question 19:  We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here:  citizenship test question 19

• The Senate

•  House of Representatives

“Congress is divided into two parts—the Senate and the House of Representatives. Because it has two “chambers,” the U.S. Congress is known as a “bicameral” legislature.”

For the naturalization exam questions that are about the system of government, we are using the following image which can be found within the study guide in the system of government section.  The image is interactive and can be used to show the relationship between the branches of government and its functions.  Give it a try!

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

Naturalization exam question 18:  How many U.S. Senators are there?

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here:  citizenship test question 18

• The Senate and House of Representatives

• Legislature

“Congress makes federal laws. A federal law usually applies to all states and all people in the United States. Either side of Congress—the Senate or the House of Representatives—can propose a bill to address an issue. When the Senate proposes a bill, it sends the bill to a Senate committee. The Senate committee studies the issue and the bill. When the House of Representatives proposes a bill, it sends the bill to a House of Representatives committee. The committee studies the bill and sometimes makes changes to it. Then the bill goes to the full House or Senate for consideration. When each chamber passes its own version of the bill, it often goes to a “conference committee.” The conference committee has members from both the House and the Senate. This committee discusses the bill, tries to resolve the differences, and writes a report with the final version of the bill. Then the committee sends the final version of the bill back to both houses for approval. If both houses approve the bill, it is considered “enrolled.” An enrolled bill goes to the president to be signed into law. If the president signs the bill, it becomes a federal law.”

For the naturalization exam questions that are about the system of government, we are using the following image which can be found within the study guide in the system of government section.  The image is interactive and can be used to show the relationship between the branches of government and its functions.  Give it a try!

Naturalization exam question 17:  What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here:  citizenship test question 17

• The President

“The job of the executive branch is to carry out, or execute, federal laws and enforce laws passed by Congress. The head of the executive branch is the president. The president is both the head of state and the head of government. The president’s powers include the ability to sign treaties with other countries and to select ambassadors to represent the United States around the world. The president also sets national policies and proposes laws to Congress. The president names the top leaders of the federal departments. When there is a vacancy on the Supreme Court, the president names a new member. However, the Senate has the power to reject the president’s choices. This limit on the power of the president is an example of checks and balances.”

For the naturalization exam questions that are about the system of government, we are using the following image which can be found within the study guide in the system of government section.  The image is interactive and can be used to show the relationship between the branches of government and its functions.  Give it a try!

Naturalization exam question 16:  Who makes federal laws?

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here:  citizenship test question 15

• checks and balances

• separation of powers 

The Constitution separates the government’s power into three branches to prevent one person or group from having too much power. The separation of government into three branches creates a system of checks and balances. This means that each branch can block, or threaten to block, the actions of the other branches. Here are some examples: the Senate (part of the legislative branch) can block a treaty signed by the president (the executive branch). In this example, the legislative branch is “checking” the executive. The U.S. Supreme Court (the judicial branch) can reject a law passed by Congress (the legislative branch). In this example, the judicial branch is “checking” the legislative branch. This separation of powers limits the power of the government and prevents the government from violating the rights of the people.

For the naturalization exam questions that are about the system of government, we are using the following image which can be found within the study guide in the system of government section.  The image is interactive and can be used to show the relationship between the branches of government and its functions.  Give it a try!

Naturalization exam question 15:  Who is in charge of the executive branch?

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here:  citizenship test question 15

For the citizenship test, you must name one branch or part of the government.  The three branches of government are: executive (the President), legislative (Congress) or judicial (the courts). 

For the naturalization exam questions that are about the system of government, we are going to use the following image which can be found within the study guide in the system of government section.  The image is interactive and can be used to show the relationship between the branches of government and its functions.  Give it a try!

Naturalization exam question 14:  What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here:  citizenship test question 14

• Everyone must follow the law
• leaders must obey the law
• government must obey the law
• no one is above the law

Rule of law means that everyone, including leaders and the government must follow the law and that no one is above it.  The USCIS explanation to this question  in part states:

“John Adams was one of the Founding Fathers and the second president of the United States. He wrote that our country is, “a government of laws, and not of men.” No person or group is above the law. The rule of law means that everyone (citizens and leaders) must obey the laws. In the United States, the U.S. Constitution is the foundation for the rule of law. The United States is a “constitutional democracy” (a democracy with a constitution). In constitutional democracies, people are willing to obey the laws because the laws are made by the people through their elected representatives. If all people are governed by the same laws, the individual rights and liberties of each person are better protected. The rule of law helps to make sure that government protects all people equally and does not violate the rights of certain people.”

We are now moving away from the citizenship test questions that cover the principles of American democracy and moving into the part of the USCIS exam that covers the United States system of government.

Naturalization exam question 13:

Name one branch or part of the government.

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here: citizenship test question 13

• capitalist economy

• or market economy.

The economic system in the United States is a capitalist or market economy.  The economic system in the US is capitalism; most businesses are privately owned and competition and profit motivate businesses. Consumers (buyers) and businesses interact to decide supply and demand.

Citizenship test question 12:  What is the “rule of law”?

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here:  citizenship test question 12

Freedom of religion means that you can practice any religion or not practice a religion.  Many of the pilgrims that first settled in America came here because they were seeking religious freedom.  The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

Naturalization Exam question 11:  What is the economic system in the United States?

If you would also like to listen to an audio of the citizenship test question and answer click here:  citizenship test question 11 (1)