Citizenship Principles of American Government Practice Questions
Principles of American Government makes up 6 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest Citizenship practice test. Here are 10 of the 24 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Built from the official USCIS 2025 civics test list (128 questions). Officials' names change; check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
1. What is the form of government of the United States?
- A.Confederation of states
- B.Republic
- C.Monarchy
- D.Direct democracy
Answer: B. The United States is a republic. Other acceptable answers: constitution-based federal republic, or representative democracy.
2. The U.S. government is described as a constitution-based federal what?
- A.Empire
- B.Parliament
- C.Monarchy
- D.Republic
Answer: D. The official answers include constitution-based federal republic. You may also answer republic or representative democracy.
3. Which answer correctly names the form of government of the United States?
- A.Representative democracy
- B.Single-party state
- C.Constitutional monarchy
- D.Military government run by generals
Answer: A. Representative democracy is an acceptable answer. You may also say republic or constitution-based federal republic.
4. What is the supreme law of the land?
- A.The Articles of Confederation
- B.The Bill of Rights alone
- C.The U.S. Constitution
- D.The Declaration of Independence
Answer: C. The supreme law of the land is the U.S. Constitution.
5. Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does:
- A.Elects the President directly
- B.Sets the federal tax rate each year
- C.Forms the government
- D.Declares war on other nations
Answer: C. The Constitution forms the government. Other acceptable answers: defines powers of government, defines the parts of government, or protects the rights of the people.
6. Which of these is one job of the U.S. Constitution?
- A.Protects the rights of the people
- B.Lists every member of Congress by name
- C.Names the state capitals
- D.Chooses the Speaker of the House
Answer: A. The Constitution protects the rights of the people. It also forms the government, defines powers of government, and defines the parts of government.
7. Which of these is NOT one of the things the U.S. Constitution does?
- A.Forms the government
- B.Defines powers of government
- C.Defines the parts of government
- D.Appoints Cabinet members
Answer: D. The Constitution forms the government, defines powers of government, defines the parts of government, and protects the rights of the people. It does not appoint Cabinet members.
8. The U.S. Constitution starts with the words "We the People." What does "We the People" mean?
- A.Rule by the states alone
- B.Self-government
- C.Rule by one king
- D.Rule by the military
Answer: B. "We the People" means self-government. Other acceptable answers: popular sovereignty, consent of the governed, people should govern themselves, or an example of social contract.
9. Which idea is expressed by the opening words "We the People" in the Constitution?
- A.Loyalty to Great Britain
- B.Consent of the governed
- C.Divine right of kings
- D.Rule by a single party
Answer: B. "We the People" means consent of the governed. You may also answer self-government, popular sovereignty, people should govern themselves, or social contract.
10. How are changes made to the U.S. Constitution?
- A.Supreme Court votes
- B.State governors' decrees
- C.Executive orders
- D.Amendments
Answer: D. Changes are made through amendments, also called the amendment process.
Practice all 24 principles of american government questions, and the rest of the 200-question bank, in the free Citizenship training sets. Questions you miss come back until you have mastered them.
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