# Could you pass the latest US citizenship test? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 2, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117 "2008-07-02T23:26:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![8675309](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ea5d25/32.png) [@8675309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/8675309)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/61 "2008-07-03T17:36:37Z")
95% - flat out didn’t know one. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/62 "2008-07-03T17:37:23Z")
100% but dodged a bullet on the “how many amendments” question. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/63 "2008-07-03T18:41:46Z")
95%, “but” (does seem like "but is the second word in everyone’s post, doesn’t it?)… missed the current Chief Justice, and I am quite embarrassed by that. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/64 "2008-07-03T20:08:55Z")
I’d have been shocked if I hadn’t gotten 100%. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/65 "2008-07-03T20:25:06Z")
I got 95% with a couple of semi-lucky, semi-educated guesses (sometimes if I just sit back and trust the trivia well that lives in my head, it will dredge up the right answer for me even if I don’t consciously think I know it). ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/66 "2008-07-03T20:40:58Z")
Well, not surprisingly, I was 100%. But, having said that, would I score as accurately on a test of similar nature regarding either Canada or Mexico, to say nothing of Japan, China or, say, France? VERY doubtful. Provincial, I am, at times. \ ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/67 "2008-07-03T21:45:01Z")
100% for me! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/68 "2008-07-03T21:46:41Z")
100%. Any American ought to get at least 90, and should be exceedingly ashamed otherwise. Especially since a lot of foreigners are doing pretty good on it. ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/69 "2008-07-04T00:05:14Z")
I got 55%. It is something I am concerned with because I _do_ have to take this test later this year for the final immigration step here. I’ve asked my lawyer if I need to study and she said no just minor quizzing. But the only thing I recall is what I picked up from watching the HBO miniseries about the founding of the country. I have had no exposure to American history but it seems like I better so some studying. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/70 "2008-07-04T00:21:23Z")
100%, and none of them were guesses. However, if it hadn’t been multiple-choice, there are a few that I might not have come up with one my own. For example, I knew that there are at least 25 amendments to the Constitution (the 25th comes up frequently on the SDMB), which left me with only one choice; left to my own devices, I might have guessed 26 or 28 rather than 27. I’m a Brit (non-US citizen) in the SF Bay Area. ---
**Author:** ![parsnip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parsnip/32/4564_2.png) [@parsnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parsnip)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/71 "2008-07-04T00:53:35Z")
[QUOTE=MadPansy64] 95% for me. I need to pay attention to the Supreme Court once in a while. John G Who? :smack: [/QUOTE] Ditto ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/72 "2008-07-04T01:19:28Z")
95% - I thought Scalia was Chief Justice. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/73 "2008-07-04T01:59:12Z")
I’m surprised by how well the non-US citizens did. I can understand the international aspects such as President Wilson but I had to think about some of the answers and answer them through the process of elimination. knowing the number of elected officials and amendments is not what I would consider common knowledge outside the US. Conversly, I know nothing about Canada’s history other than it has something to do with hockey and 2 weeks of bad skiing. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/74 "2008-07-04T02:06:06Z")
[QUOTE=Magiver] Conversly, I know nothing about Canada’s history other than it has something to do with hockey and 2 weeks of bad skiing. [/QUOTE] I agree with you totally. I didn’t expect foreigners to do so well either. Now I feel kinda ashamed of my general knowledge of other country’s histories. In turn, my knowledge of Canada, chronologically speaking, is something like: beavers, maple syrup, hockey, War of 1812, lacrosse, liberal, Kids in the Hall, universal health care, possible discrimination against Newfies. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/75 "2008-07-04T02:36:07Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] I agree with you totally. I didn’t expect foreigners to do so well either. Now I feel kinda ashamed of my general knowledge of other country’s histories. In turn, my knowledge of Canada, chronologically speaking, is something like: beavers, maple syrup, hockey, War of 1812, lacrosse, liberal, Kids in the Hall, universal health care, possible discrimination against Newfies. [/QUOTE] You forgot the some people speak French thing…or maybe I’m just one up on my deep and extensive knowledge of Canadian culture. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/76 "2008-07-04T02:40:47Z")
BOOYAH! Aced it. Could you pass the latest citizenship test? You answered 100% of questions correctly. Here’s your rating: 0-20%: Maybe you’re still thinking too much about the Old Country. 25-40%: Mmmm. Do you really want to be a citizen? This kind of performance isn’t going to impress those nice immigration folks. 45-60%: Not too bad, but you really need to break out the civics books again – word is, the INS is looking for an 80 percent score. 65-80%: Hey, you may make a good citizen yet! Look at your wrong answers and a little revision should do the trick. 85-100%: Welcome to the United States! (And, truth be told, you know more about this great land than most Americans.) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/77 "2008-07-04T02:51:31Z")
[QUOTE=Dangerosa] You forgot the some people speak French thing…or maybe I’m just one up on my deep and extensive knowledge of Canadian culture. [/QUOTE] Well, I am from Louisiana and some people speak French there too. It gets noted and then we move on to other business. Canada can’t seem to move past these types of trivia. The reason that regular people don’t know anything about Canada is because it is set up to be confusing on purpose. You know who is the Supreme Commander of Canada? The Queen of England. Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw. The only reason I know that is because I laughed at how dumb it is when somebody told me that last year. They are forced to elect a bunch of other people to help her because she obviously lives somewhere else and doesn’t show up to work that often. They pick a certain number of helpers with French names and a certain number with English sounding names and that is how it is done in Canada. The whole point is practically moot anyway. Global warming is turning most of its land back into ocean at an alarming rate. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/78 "2008-07-04T03:21:21Z")
Only 85% for me. This makes me feel senile because all of these answers were taught in middle school. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/79 "2008-07-04T03:25:44Z")
100%. I’m not sure I would have been able to recall the Chief Justice had it not been multiple choice. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117/80 "2008-07-04T03:26:54Z")
Eegh, I should be kicked out of this country. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-pass-the-latest-us-citizenship-test/455117.md?page=5)