CNN iReport

A friend posted this quiz from the MSNBC web site, and it piqued my curiosity.  How well would I do if I had to take a citizenship exam?  So I decided to post it here to let other people see how well they'd do.

So here are 20 questions that could appear on a U.S. citizenship exam.  I'll put the answers at the end.  No cheating, now.

For the record, thanks in no small measure to repeated watchings of Schoolhouse Rock during my childhood, I fared better than I otherwise might have.

Here's the link the original article:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25461301/?GT1=43001

1.  Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

     a.  George Washington

     b.  Thomas Jefferson

     c.  James Madison

     d.  John Hancock

2.  When was the Constitution written?

     a.  1774

     b.  1776

     c.  1787

     d.  1865

3.  What are the first words of the Constitution?

     a.  When, in the course of human events

     b.  In order to form a more perfect Union

     c.  To whom it may concern

     d.  We the People

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

     a.  The Preamble

     b.  The Bill of Rights

     c.  The Statute of Liberty

     d.  Declaration of Independence

5.  Which of the following is NOT a right outlined in the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence?

     a.  Life

     b.  Liberty

     c.  Right to bear arms

     d.  Pursuit of happiness

6.  Which of these is a right guaranteed by the First Amendment?

     a.  Freedom of the press

     b.  Right to trial by jury

     c.  Right to bear arms

     d.  Right to happiness

7.  How many amendments does the Constitution have?

     a.  10

     b.  17

     c.  23

     d.  27

8.  Why does the United States flag have 13 stripes?

     a.  One for each state in the union

     b.  The number of seats in the Cabinet

     c.  They represent the 13 original colonies

     d.  One for each article of the Constitution

9.  Which of these was NOT among the original states?

     a.  New Hampshire

     b.  New York

     c.  Delaware

     d.  Maine

10. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

     a.  Louisiana

     b.  Vermont

     c.  Alaska

     d.  Maine

11. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government.  Which of the following is NOT a federal power?

     a.  To declare war

     b.  To print money

     c.  To declare treaties

     d.  To provide education

12. Which of the following is NOT one of the three branches of government?

     a.  Federal

     b.  Judicial

     c.  Executive

     d.  Legislative

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

     a.  100

     b.  365

     c.  435

     d.  646

14. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

     a.  2

     b.  4

     c.  6

     d.  8

15.  In what month do we vote for President?

     a.  January

     b.  February

     c.  September

     d.  November

16. If both the President and Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

     a.  Secretary of State

     b.  Secretary of Defense

     c.  The Speaker of the House

     d.  President Pro Tempore of the Senate

17. Who was President during World War I?

     a.  Theodore Roosevelt

     b.  Warren G. Harding

     c.  Franklin Roosevelt

     d.  Woodrow Wilson

18. How many justices are there on the U.S. Supreme Court?

     a.  3

     b.  5

     c.  7

     d.  9

19. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States?

     a.  John Paul Stevens

     b.  John G. Roberts, Jr.

     c.  Antonin Scalia

     d.  Samuel Alito

20. What did Susan B. Anthony do?

     a.  Hid John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln

     b.  Designed and made the original U.S. flag

     c.  Designed the original U.S. currency

     d.  Fought for women's rights

Now...the answers.  How well did you do?

1.  b -- Thomas Jefferson

2.  c -- 1787

3.  d -- We the People

4.  b -- The Bill of Rights

5.  c -- The right to bear arms

6.  a -- Freedom of the press

7.  d -- 27

8.  c -- They represent the original 13 colonies

9.  d -- Maine

10. a -- Louisiana

11. d -- To provide education

12. a -- Federal

13. c -- 435

14. c -- 6

15. d -- November

16. c -- The Speaker of the House

17. d -- Woodrow Wilson

18. d -- 9

19. b -- John G. Roberts, Jr.

20. d -- Fought for women's rights

So, while the celebration of another 4th of July has come and gone, I figure it doesn't hurt to reflect upon what is required for immigrants to know before becoming U.S. citizens.  We should all have a healthy knowledge about our homeland, whether we were born here or have adopted it.