Practice for the U.S. naturalization civics test
Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
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Voting rights and citizens' duties (cards A to C). Card A, from the 2025 USCIS list of 128 civics questions. Question 63: "There are four amendments to the U.S. Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them." The accepted answers are: "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.)" and "A male citizen of any race (can vote)." Card B, from the National Archives text of the amendments. The 15th (passed February 26, 1869; ratified February 3, 1870): "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude--". The 19th (ratified August 18, 1920): the same right "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." The 24th (passed August 27, 1962; ratified January 23, 1964): "The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax." The 26th (passed March 23, 1971; ratified July 1, 1971): "The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age." Each amendment gives Congress the power to enforce it by appropriate legislation. Card C, from the same USCIS list. Question 64, "Who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the United States?" Answer: "Citizens". Question 65, "What are three rights of everyone living in the United States?" The answers are freedom of expression, of speech, of assembly, to petition the government, of religion, and the right to bear arms. Question 71, "Why is it important to pay federal taxes?" The answers include "Required by law", "Required by the (U.S.) Constitution (16th Amendment)" and "Civic duty". Question 72, "It is important for all men age 18 through 25 to register for the Selective Service. Name one reason why." The answers are "Required by law", "Civic duty" and "Makes the draft fair, if needed".
A student claims: "The 15th Amendment's text names male citizens." How strong is that claim given cards A and B, Ari asks?
- Weak: the 15th text says "citizens", and male appears in card A's study answer
- Strong: banning denial on account of race matters just for men, so the text means men
- Strong: card A says a male citizen of any race, so the amendment itself says male
- Weak: the 15th Amendment does not mention voting in its text, just rules about race
Card B: the 15th Amendment was ratified in 1870 and the 19th in 1920. How many years apart is that, Esme asks?
- 101 years, counting from 1870 to the 1971 date
- 94 years, counting from 1870 to 1964
- 5 years, because 1920 minus 1870 is a gap of five tens
- 50 years, the gap between the two ratifications
Card B: the 24th Amendment was ratified in 1964 and the 26th in 1971. About how many years apart is that, Jun asks?
- About 51 years, the gap between the 19th and the 26th
- About 17 years
- About 100 days, the time from passage to ratification of the 26th
- About 7 years
Put in order of ratification, which barrier does each amendment in card B address, Kira asks?
- Age 18 (1971), poll tax (1964), sex (1920), then race (1870)
- Poll tax (1964), race (1870), sex (1920), then age 18 (1971)
- Race (1870), sex (1920), poll tax (1964), then age 18 (1971)
- Sex (1920), race (1870), age 18 (1971), then poll tax (1964)
A student claims: "The 24th Amendment banned poll taxes in every election in the country." How strong is that, Luz asks?
- Weak: the 24th text lists elections for federal offices, not every election
- Strong: the amendment says the vote may not be denied over a poll tax, so it is general
- Weak: the amendment is from 1964, so it is too recent to count as settled law
- Strong: card A says you do not have to pay a poll tax to vote, which is general
To see how far the 24th Amendment reaches, which card is better evidence, A (a study answer) or B (the amendment), Milo asks?
- Neither, because both come from government websites
- Card A, because it is newer than the amendment
- Card B, because the amendment's own text sets its reach
- Card A, because a government agency wrote it for applicants
Questions 71 and 72 in card C ask "Why" and "Name one reason why". What kind of answer do they require, Noah asks?
- A reason a duty matters, such as being required by law or a civic duty
- A record of military service that the applicant completed before applying
- A list of each tax in the country, with how each tax is spent by Congress
- A history of the federal elections the applicant has voted in since arriving
How do Question 64 and Question 65 in card C describe who has what, Pia asks?
- Both say that a person's rights depend on where that person was born
- Question 64 names acts for citizens; Question 65 names rights of everyone here
- Question 64 covers everyone living here; Question 65 covers citizens alone
- Both name rights that belong to citizens, such as voting and serving on juries
Card B: the 19th was ratified in 1920 and the 26th in 1971. How many years apart are they, Tala asks?
- 50 years, the gap between the 15th and the 19th
- 61 years
- 7 years, the gap between the 24th and the 26th
- 51 years, 1971 minus 1920
Each amendment in card B says the right "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State". Who is limited, Zee asks?
- Only the states, which may not deny the right to vote
- Only Congress, which may not deny the right to vote to any citizen
- Only voters, who may not give up the right to vote
- The national government and every state, since the text names both of them