Yes, I am, once again, quoting Boy Meets World.

Back in the 90s, a steady diet of hopeful, cheesy television helped to inform my worldview. A lot has changed since then! Including the citizenship test that Eric Matthews prepares Mr. Feeny’s students for in that particular episode of television.

Until now, to pass your citizenship test, you needed to get 6 out of 10 questions correct, from a list of 100. The new test requires potentially new citizens to get 12 out of 20 questions correctly, out of 128 questions. All of these questions are available online for review (though, confusingly, the old list is still accessible).

A professor of immigration law argued there’s no evidence that the former test wasn’t effective. On the flip side, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said that test was “too easy.” I think it’s fair to take his assessment at face value if we also ask … would Americans born here pass the test too?

According to my sister, who teaches middle schoolers, and has regularly given the old test to her students … probably not.

So, let’s take the test! To get a wide variety of easy and hard questions from the different categories (Colonial Period, Geography, Rights and Responsibilities, etc …), we’re starting with question 6 then asking every 6th question. Just like the new citizenship test, it’s a total of 20 questions. And just like the real citizenship test, it’s not multiple choice (boo!) but some questions do have multiple correct answers (yay!). You only need to get one of them!

Get your pencils out (or Notes App), and please, please LNI students: do NOT use AI to cheat on this test.

Question 6: What does the Bill of Rights protect?

Question 12: What is the economic system of the United States?

Question 18: What part of the federal government writes laws?

Question 24: How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?

Question 30: What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

Question 36: The President of the United States is elected for how many years?

Question 42: Who is Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?

Question 48: What are TWO Cabinet-level positions?

Question 54: How many Supreme Court justices are usually needed to decide a case?

Question 60: What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?

Question 66: What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

Question 72: It is important for all men age 18 through 25 to register for the Selective Service. Name one reason why.

Question 78: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Question 84: Why were the Federalist Papers important?

Question 90: What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

Question 96: What U.S. war ended slavery?

Question 102: When did all women get the right to vote?

Question 108: Who was the United States’ main rival during the Cold War?

Question 114: Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War?

Question 120: Where is the Statue of Liberty?

Question 6 answer(s): The rights of Americans, OR the rights of people living in the United States

Question 12 answer(s): Capitalism, OR Free market economy

Question 18 answer(s): (U.S.) Congress, OR (U.S. or national) legislature, OR Legislative branch

Question 24 answer: Four hundred thirty-five

Question 30 answer: Representative Mike Johnson

Question 36 answer: Four years

Question 42 answer: The President

Question 48 answer(s): Attorney General, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of War (Defense), Vice-President, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Director of National Intelligence, United States Trade Representative

Question 54 answer: Five

Question 60 answer: (It states that the) powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.

Question 66 answer(s): The United States OR the flag

Question 72 answer(s): Required by law, OR Civic duty, OR Makes the draft fair, if needed

Question 78 answer: Thomas Jefferson

Question 84 answer(s): They helped people understand the (U.S.) Constitution, OR They supported passing the (U.S.) Constitution

Question 90 answer(s): Louisiana Territory OR Louisiana

Question 96 answer: The Civil War

Question 102 answer(s): 1920, OR After World War I, OR (With the) 19th Amendment.

Question 108 answer(s): Soviet Union, OR USSR, OR Russia

Question 114 answer: To force the Iraqi military from Kuwait

Question 120 answer(s): New York (Harbor), OR Liberty Island, OR New Jersey, near New York City, OR on the Hudson (River)

How’d you do? Are you a citizen?

Good, bad or incomplete - I want to know how you did. Tell me your score at [email protected] (no judgment and I won’t disclose your results to anyone).

It’s also worth noting that these tests are oral exams and given in a very high pressure situation. However well or poorly you did, imagine doing this in front of a USCIS officer with your citizenship on the line, while potentially worrying that an ICE officer could barge in and falsely arrest you at any time. Not ideal test-taking conditions!

I’ll see you later this week with all new videos. I hope you’ll consider becoming a paying LNI member to help us keep the lights on. If you do, you get this newsletter AND the Friday newsletter a day early.

For your final question, what college football team beat Northwestern 28 to 21 this weekend?

Answer: The Nebraska Cornhuskers