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U.S. Citizenship Civics Test

Colonial Period and Independence: practice questions

Our US Civics bank has 16 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.

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Question 1

Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.

  1. The Civil War
  2. The Louisiana Purchase
  3. The Emancipation Proclamation
  4. Taxation without representation
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D. Taxation without representation — USCIS 2025 civics question 77. Accepted answers: High taxes; Taxation without representation; British soldiers stayed in Americans' houses (boarding, quartering); They did not have self-government; Boston Massacre; Boston Tea Party (Tea Act); Stamp Act; Sugar Act; Townshend Acts; Intolerable (Coercive) Acts.

Question 2

James Madison is famous for many things. Name one.

  1. First Secretary of the Treasury
  2. “Father of the Constitution”
  3. General of the Continental Army
  4. Writer of the Gettysburg Address
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B. “Father of the Constitution” — USCIS 2025 civics question 88. Accepted answers: “Father of the Constitution”; Fourth president of the United States; President during the War of 1812; One of the writers of the Federalist Papers.

Question 3

Thomas Jefferson is famous for many things. Name one.

  1. First Postmaster General
  2. Led the United States during the Civil War
  3. First president of the United States
  4. Doubled the size of the United States (Louisiana Purchase)
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D. Doubled the size of the United States (Louisiana Purchase) — USCIS 2025 civics question 87. Accepted answers: Writer of the Declaration of Independence; Third president of the United States; Doubled the size of the United States (Louisiana Purchase); First Secretary of State; Founded the University of Virginia; Writer of the Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom.

Question 4

What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?

  1. People from England
  2. People from Canada
  3. People from Mexico
  4. People from Africa
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D. People from Africa — USCIS 2025 civics question 75. Accepted answers: Africans; People from Africa.

Question 5

Why were the Federalist Papers important?

  1. They created the first political parties' rules for voting.
  2. They helped people understand the U.S. Constitution.
  3. They declared independence from Britain.
  4. They ended slavery.
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B. They helped people understand the U.S. Constitution. — USCIS 2025 civics question 84. Accepted answers: They helped people understand the (U.S.) Constitution.; They supported passing the (U.S.) Constitution..

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