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Editorial
Citizenship test: Do you know enough to pass?
Thursday, September 29, 2011
There are only three months to go until 2012, the presidential election year, the year we exercise our most important right, according to a sample U.S. citizenship test.
While immigration is shaping up to be one of the big issues in the election -- it has derailed the campaign of leading Republican Rick Perry -- we're often impressed with those who jump through all the hoops necessary to become a citizen.
And, after watching segments of Jay Leno's "Jaywalking" features, we wonder how the average, natural-born citizen would do with the test.
How would you do?
Here are some of the tougher examples from a practice test:
1. How many stripes are there in the flag?
2. What do the stripes in the flag mean?
3. What is the date of Independence Day?
4. Independence from whom?
5. Who did we fight during the Revolutionary War?
6. Who is the vice president today?
7. Who elects the President of the United States?
8. How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution?
9. What are the three branches of our government?
10. Who makes the laws in the United States?
11. What is Congress?
(Answers)
1. 13
2. They represent the original 13 states.
3. July 4th.
4. England
5. England
6. Joe Biden
7. The electoral college.
8. 27
9. Legislative, Executive and Judiciary
10. Congress.
11. The Senate and House of Representatives.
12. The people.
13. Nelson and Johanns.
14. 6 years.
15. Smith
16. 435
17. Two years.
18. Two.
19. John G. Roberts, Jr.
20. Thomas Jefferson
12. Who elects Congress?
13. Can you name the two senators from your state?
14. For how long do we elect each senator?
15. Who is your representative in the House?
16. How many representatives are there in Congress?
17. For how long do we elect the representatives?
18. How many terms can a president serve?
19. Who is the chief justice of Supreme Court?
20. Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?
How did you do? Could you pass the test? What about your children?
As we head into what promises to be an especially contentious election year, it's a good time to step back at look at the framework that unites our country and gives us the opportunity -- and responsibility -- to improve it.