In 2017 in California, nearly twice as many people became naturalized citizens than in the state with the second most, New York. Of the more than 700,000 people that were naturalized that year, the median time spent as a lawful permanent resident was eight years.

Naturalized citizens by year

Number naturalized by state, fiscal year 2017

Regions of origin, fiscal years 2008–2017

Thirty-seven percent of people who were naturalized in 2017 were born in North America, followed by 36% born in Asia and 9.2% born in Europe.

Mexico led the way with 17% of the total, followed by India (7.2%) and the People’s Republic of China (5.3%).

The 10 countries with the largest number of naturalizations accounted for 52% of the total in 2017.

Civics questions

According to Concordia University’s Center for Public Policy, 44% of native-born American citizens cannot pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services civics test, while 90% of those applying for citizenship pass the test. Today we put you to the challenge.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services civics test is just one step in the process to become a U.S. citizen. The test has 100 history and government questions. It is an oral test where a USCIS officer will ask the applicant up to 10 of the 100 civics questions. An applicant must answer six questions correctly to pass.

Applicants will be tested in civics as well as speaking, reading and writing English.

If you or anyone you know is interested in U.S. citizenship, you can learn more at uscis.gov.

Here are 25 questions from the Principles of American Democracy portion of the test. Suitable answers are listed after.

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

2. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

3. What is an amendment?

4. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?

5. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

6. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

7. What is the economic system in the United States?

8. What is the “rule of law”?

9. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

10. Who makes federal laws?

11. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

12. How many U.S. senators are there?

13. We elect a U.S. senator for how many years?

14. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

15. We elect a U.S. representative for how many years?

16. Who does a U.S. senator represent?

17. In what month do we vote for president?

18. If the president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

19. If both the president and the vice president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

20. What does the president’s Cabinet do?

21. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

22. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?

23. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

24. When must all men register for the Selective Service?

25. When was the Constitution written?

ANSWERS

Many questions have several acceptable answers.

1. The Constitution

2. “We the People … ”

3. A change or an addition (to the Constitution)

4. The Bill of Rights

5. Speech, religion, assembly, press, petition the government

6. 27

7. Capitalist economy, market economy

8. Everyone must follow the law, leaders must obey the law, government must obey the law, no one is above the law.

9. Checks and balances, separation of powers

10. Congress

11. The Senate and House of Representatives

12. 100

13. Six

14. 435

15. Two

16. All the people of the state

17. November

18. The vice president

19. The Speaker of the House

20. Advises the president

21. To print money, to declare war, to create an army, to make treaties

22. Serve on a jury, vote in a federal election

23. Give up loyalty to other countries, defend the Constitution and laws of the United States, obey the laws of the United States, serve in the U.S. military (if needed), serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed), be loyal to the United States

24. At age 18, between 18 and 26

25. 1787

You can find all 100 questions at uscis.gov.

Ileana Gonzalez, above, of Cuba holds back tears as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the oath of allegiance to America’s newest citizens during a naturalization ceremony at Everglades National Park, Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center in Homestead, Fla., this month.

Sources: Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Migration Policy Institute, Center for Public Policy at Concordia University