How much Do you Know about your American Heritage?

The American History Quiz below is a sampling of questions used for citizenship in early America.

When my father's ancestors fled France due to the persecution of the French Huguenots, they were searching for religious liberty and knew enough about America to know that this was the place to find it. They understood that in coming here, there were privileges, but also duties and obligations in becoming Americans.

The Department of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services helped hundreds of thousands of immigrants to become "American citizens." These immigrants were tutored and expected to be able to answer core questions about American History and what their responsibility would be in becoming "American."

Just imagine their fascination with their new country, especially the new form of government and the society that a Constitutional Republic would secure.

Our freedom has been sustained by four crucial divinely inspired documents: The Declaration of Independence, The U. S. Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and The Emancipation Proclamation.

These documents were based on the Judeo-Christian faith in practice. This faith rested on a Bible that is infallible, and truly, the Word of God.

It would be interesting to have many readers of The Gazette take this sampling of the questions which was asked to the incoming immigrants for many, many decades. Some questions appear so simple, and some not so.

American History Quiz

1. What is the name of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America?

2. Why did the Pilgrims come to America?

3. Who helped the Pilgrims in America?

4. What holiday was celebrated for the first time by the American colonists?

5. What is the Fourth of July?

6. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

7. Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?

8. What was the basic belief of the Declaration of Independence?

9. From whom did the United States gain independence as a result of the Revolutionary War?

10. Who said, "Give me liberty or give me death" ?

11. What were the names of the thirteen original states?

12. What were these 13 states of the United States called?

13. What are the colors of the American flag?

14. What do the stripes on the flag mean?

15. What do the stars on the flag mean?

16. What is the National Anthem of the United States called?

17. Who wrote the National Anthem of the U.S.?

18. Which president is called the “Father of his country”?

19. What is the executive branch of our government?

20. In what month do we vote for the president?

21. In what month is the new president inaugurated?

22. For how long do we elect this president?

23. How many terms is the president allowed to serve?

24. Who is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Military?

25. Who is the President of the U.S.?

26. Who is the Vice President of the U.S.?

27. According to the Constitution, a person must meet certain requirements to be eligible to become president. Name one of these requirements.

28. Who elects the president of the United States?

29. What special group advises the president?

30. What is the Constitution?

31. What do we call a "change" in the Constitution?

32. What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called?

33. What is the most important "right" granted to a U.S. Citizen?

34. How many branches are there in the government?

35. What are the branches of our government called?

36. Who makes the laws in the United States?

37. What is the “Congress”?

38. For how long do we elect a member of the House of Representatives?

39. For how long do we elect a member of the U.S. Senate?

40. What is the Judicial branch of our government?

41. What is the highest court in the United States?

42. What are the duties of the Supreme Court?

43. Who selects the Supreme Court justices?

44. What is the chief executive of state government called?

45. What is the chief executive of a city called?

46. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

47. What is the "White House"?

48. What type of government do we have in the U.S.?