They have been experimenting with a new Citizenship test and one of the places they are testing it is right here in Old El Paso. They are trying to take some of the memorization aspects out of it and ask questions that require the prospective new citizen to actually understand some of the concepts of the laws of the United States. Here is a challenge to all you citizens out there, can you pass a test that we require new citizens to pass?
Here are 10 questions from the new test ... how well can you do?
1) Name one important idea found in the Declaration of Independence.
2) What is the supreme law of the land?
3) What does the Constitution do?
4) What do we call changes to the Constitution?
5) What group of essays supported passage of the U.S. Constitution?
6) What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
7) What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
8 ) Where is the Statue Of Liberty?
9) Name one U.S. Territory
10) Name two U.S. National Holidays
Now you should get at least 9 out of 10 right ... enter this post to get the answers ... no peeking or we'll revoke your citizenship
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
New Citizenship Test
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1) People are born with natural rights or ...
The Power of Government comes from the People or ...
The People can change their government if it is hurting their natural rights or ...
All People are created Equal
2) The U.S. Constitution
3) It sets up the Government or ...
It protects basic rights of Americans
4) Amendments
5) The Federalist Papers
6) Freed the slaves in the Confederacy or ...
Freed the slaves in the Confederate States or ...
Freed the slaves in most Southern States
7) He fought for civil rights or ...
He strove for (worked for, fought for) equality for all Americans
8 ) New York Harbor or ...
Liberty Island or ...
New Jersey or ...
Near New York City or ...
On the Hudson (river)
9) American Samoa or ...
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or ...
Guam or ...
Puerto Rico or ...
U.S. Virgin Islands
10) New Years Day or ...
Martin Luther King Day or ...
Presidents' Day or ...
Memorial Day or ...
Independence Day or ...
Labor Day or ...
Columbus Day or ...
Veterans' Day or ...
Thanksgiving or ...
Christmas
Number 5 was hard ... I actually guessed it (it must have been stored away in some corner of my brain and popped out when the question was asked).
I got # 5 and # 9 wrong. How the hell could I forget PR? I am a real dumb ass sometimes.
I missed #2 and #5...I guessed the wrong set of papers. Number two I didn't realize that was the answer they were looking for, I was thinking something more "abstract" for some reason.
So I guess I'm almost a citizen? ;)
--snow
Well, I did good on the test and will be ready to take the REAL citizenship test now !!!! tlrb
1) Ah, Declaration of Independence, I think I´ve heard of it. Must mean independence from the Brits, and that must be a good thing.
2) That u can do anyting u want on your own land, like shoot someone who enters...?
3) Constitute?
4) Political mumbo-jumbo?
5) Don´t get this question at all.
6) This one neither...
7) He BELIEVED! :-)
8 ) New York
9) Hawaii, Alaska
10) 4th of July & Christmas.
How did I do, how did I do? Will u even let me into your country to visit after this...?
Can't answer any of these, lucky I live here in the UK eh?
really? It takes only that to be a US citizen?
I thought one had to be Born at least!
Well I knew only about the amendment, which incidently what we do to Indian constitution too!
Hey Champagne! How are you doing today?
Why do I find it utterly disturbing that the only question I can confidently answer is the National Holiday bit -- only cuz it's the only thing I really cared about when I was still living in the US ;)
har ... #5 was very hard, but forgetting Puerto Rico? That's okay ... The average exam score of US citizens actually born here was 47%.
snow ... you'll always be a citizen to me ;)
tlrb ... let me know when the swearing in ceremony is, I'd like to attend.
evalinn ... You scored a 15%, you can visit ... but you can't stay. I guess I will just have to move to Stockholm ... Oh wait, I know nothing about your citizenship test and would probably score a 0% :(
akelamalu ... that's okay, I don't know much about British history or politics either ... wait, yes I do ... if you go past 250 years or so, British history is American History.
mona ... I am doing well today, the citizenship test is the pentultimate task on the way to citizenship ... you have to jump through a lot of hoops prior to getting that far. We have a strange rule here in the US that if you are born here, you are automatically a citizen. This os part of the 14th ammendment to the US constitution and came about because after slavery, certain elements in the US didn't want Blacks to vote, or have any of the rights of citizenship and is called jus solis or "right of the territory". This comes from English Common Law and is not found in many parts of the world. Do to this law, children of illegal aliens (or undocumented immigrants for the pc crowd), are automatically citizens and can then sponsor their parents to take up legal residence in the US. This is something that needs to be changed in the US. Under the 14th ammendment, the only exceptions are children born to foreign diplomats and children of an occupying force (I wonder if children of terrorists would fall under this ... probably not). Sorry ... seems I have gone off on a constitutional law rant.
princess ... National Holidays are important ... if you are an hourly worker, you get paid double-time :) So what island paradise did you move to that took you away from the USA?
ok shit. i might not have passed!
ahahaha... jk
maybe :(
blanco ... you may not have passed? Well then thank god for the 14th ammendment.
I was late checking your blog...12 comments up on me. Got too anxious to see how everyone did so I did the unforgiveable! ...read the answers first!
I'll follow the rules next time...maybe!
I would have missed #5 and #9 for sure.
1) Name one important idea found in the Declaration of Independence.
The right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
2) What is the supreme law of the land?
Constitution
3) What does the Constitution do?
It outlines the government and the rights of the government and its people (Bill of rights)
4) What do we call changes to the Constitution?
Amendments
5) What group of essays supported passage of the U.S. Constitution?
Federalist papers.
6) What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
Proclaimed that slaves should be free.
7) What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
He was a pivitol leader in the Civil rights movement. He was a pacifist community organizer.
8 ) Where is the Statue Of Liberty?
New York, given to us by the French.
9) Name one U.S. Territory
Guam and Peaurto Rico
10) Name two U.S. National Holidays
Presidents Day & Thanksgiving.
I think that people should be required to take that test for voter registration!
inspired ... as a former educator, I am aghast that you cheated ... you are now stripped of your citizneship for peeking.
myutopia ... O-kay you passed, your swearing in ceremony is on Monday.
jenny ... I almost feel that way myself (along with feeling that anyone voting a straight partyline ticket should be shot). But this would bring us back to the old Jim Crowe days when all manner of reading and citizenship tests were instituted to keep Blacks from voting. This would lead us down a very slippery slope.
1) Name one important idea found in the Declaration of Independence.
That while the writers were interested in new enlightened ideas they were not really interested in stretching those to women.
2) What is the supreme law of the land?
Money makes the world go round ( I realize it is not official but I believe it can be supported by actions)
3) What does the Constitution do?
Sets up the government structure and allows people to reference rights that are not actually located in the constitution.
4) What do we call changes to the Constitution?
Amendments
5) What group of essays supported passage of the U.S. Constitution?
Hmmm I want to say that document prior to the constitution that gave all the rights to the state but I cannot think of their name unless I cheat.
6) What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
Allowed white people to continue dominance over enslaved African peoples by taking their freedom and then attempting to give it back to them and therefore keeping all the power to themselves and starting a cycle we still see today.
7) What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
Introduced the notion that we should actually apply what it says on the declaration of independence!!! Also that we should be colorblind, not my favorite message but not a bad one I suppose.
8 ) Where is the Statue Of Liberty?
New York Harbor, although possibly being re worded as we did not seem to want tired hungry masses anymore.
9) Name one U.S. Territory
Puerto Rico
10) Name two U.S. National Holidays
Thanksgiving and President’s Day, Also known as days with no school so that you can shop instead of learn about why you have the day off.
I suppose this test only shows that I am frustrated with the world and slightly bitter while exercising my right to free speech. I think I may have failed the citizenship part though.
sarah ... yes, you failed the citizenship part ... but passed the free speech part with flying colors.
Not to worry. We don´t have tests like that, they´re considered etnocentric over here.
CRAP...it's a good thing I am a citizen because I think that I've been out of school too long. I do remember most of them and did an educated guess. But if that's all it takes to become a citizen...we need to toughen it up....that's just MY opinion!
In San Diego we have a lot of problems with the border as well...ugh!
evalinn ... etnocentric? what a great word (meaning belief that one's culture or way of doing something is superior). I guess in a way it is ... but if it wasn't why would millions of people be trying to become part of it.
jillie ... this version is supposed to be the tougher version. It requires a bit of an understanding of the Constitutuion and other historical documents as well as history as opposed to just memorizing a set of answers to a set of questions. By the way, this new test is administered orally in an interview setting. San Diego has the same problems as El Paso ... a city of 2 million plus on the other side of the border, where you have Tijuana, we have Juarez. Drug Cartels, Underage drinking and corruption seem to seep over the border no matter what we do. Of course if no one was buying the drugs and if our teenagers weren't going over the border to party ... most of the problems would go away.
) If you make it over the boarder you are entitled to abuse the system with wild abandon
2) Do unto others before they do unto you.
3) It gives me the right to march in your streets crapping all over your government while demanding rights and waving the flag of my home country.
4) Voter reform
5) I think it was Los Locos Vatos
6) It started the civil war
7) He founded a hamburger place, Burger King
8) New Jersey
9) Mexico
10) Cinco de Mayo & Christmas
1. When the government is abusing it's citizens they have the duty and the right to do something about it.
2. The US Costitution and the Bill of Rights
3. It's the foundation of every law in the US. It secures certain rights and liberties for all Americans
4. Amendments
5. Something makes me want to say the Articles of Confederacy. But I know that's wrong
6. It freed the slaves
7. He spearheaded the civil rights movement.
8. Ellis Island
9. Puerto Rico
10. Independance Day, Memorial Day
Damn, I got number 5 wrong. I had the right idea but it got all wonky in my head.
Good post.
paco ... sooo close, #10 should be Cinqo De Mayo and 16 Septembre
mama ... good job, number 5 is a tough one.
well i am quite late getting here so i won't bother listing my answers. i will just admit i could not recall the name of the federalist papers....i'd have had a 9...and i don't thnk american samoa was mentioned in territories ;)
lime ... better late than never, and Somoa was the first one listed. Almost no one ever gets #5.
I, like "i'm inspired",cheated .. I came straight over for the answers...
I am sure my husband would have known every single answer.
Next time I take your test... I'll be sure he's by my side!
;-)
Love your blog!
Can I put your blog on my blogroll?
terry ... I would be honored to be added to your blogroll :)
You better call your husband on over there is a new test to take.
Cool, I'm rushing right over to add you now...
My husband and I watch the Beltway Boys every single day!
Now I'll be a Blogway Boy fan as well.
terry ... only the second person to get the blog title ... good job
I got them all right! Phew, since I teach GED Social Stories. That could've been embarrassing!
david ... it would indeed have been embarrasing ... glad you weren't red-faced.
Did I type stories? I wish it had been at least the middle of the night so I would have ad an excuse! I meant Social Studies! Hey, Paul I am gonna join Terri in the request to add you to my blogroll. I am going to go ahead and add ya until I get a cease and desist order telling me to remove all mention of your name from my blog!
True...the party line or die thing pisses me off too!
david ... thank you ... no cease and desist is forthcoming.
jenny ... I would feel like an idiot voting a straight ticket ... like I had no mind or free will of my own :P
Yeah, and a billion Chinese can´t be wrong?
evalinn ... speaking of the Chinese, the Chinese Government has limited each couple to only one child in an attempt to control their population (unless you are in the ruling class ... then you can do whatever you want). What this has done is fostered a climate where parents will abort children that are the wrong sex because they don't get a second chance. Yeah a billion Chinese can be wrong.
Paul - it´s a saying. Meaning that just because a lot of people do something doesn´t mean it´s good, right or even what they want.
7)got shot :)
9)Guam, Saipan,
10)Independence Day, Colombus Day(?) St. Patrick Day(?), Easter
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