A big chunk of the civics test covers American history. Here are the key facts, organized the way the test asks them.
Colonial era and independence
- Colonists came for freedom (political, religious, economic).
- The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, written mainly by Thomas Jefferson.
- The 13 original colonies became the first states.
The Founding Fathers and the Constitution
- George Washington — first President, “Father of Our Country.”
- Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton — key founders. Madison is the “Father of the Constitution.”
- The Constitution was written in 1787.
The 1800s
- The Civil War (1861–1865) was fought over slavery, states’ rights, and the economy.
- Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation.
- The Louisiana Purchase and westward expansion grew the country.
Recent history
- World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights Movement (led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr.) are common topics.
Practice now: Take the free US citizenship practice test or study the three branches of government.
Independent free study resource, not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government and not legal advice. Confirm current rules at uscis.gov.
{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”FAQPage”,”mainEntity”:[{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Thomas Jefferson was the main author. It was adopted on July 4, 1776.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”What was the Civil War about?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Mainly slavery, states’ rights, and economic differences between the North and South (1861-1865).”}}]}