What makes an American?

The waiting, fees and forms are not enough for naturalization. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services administration has “special requirements” to make sure applicants are extra-American. Check out these prerequisites and see if you would pass.

“A person cannot be found to be a person of good moral character if during the last five years he or she:

• is or has been a habitual drunkard
• is practicing or has practiced polygamy
• has willfully failed or refused to support dependents
• is or has been involved in prostitution or commercialized vice
• has committed and been convicted of any controlled substance law, except for a single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana”

Knows what others don’t:

“An applicant for naturalization must demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history and of the principles and form of government of the United States.”

1. Who elects the president of the United States?
2. What group has the power to declare war?
3. Who said, “Give me liberty or give me death"?
4. What were the original 13 states?
5. Name the amendments that guarantee or address voting rights.
6. What is the introduction to the Constitution called?
7. How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?
8. For how long do we elect each Senator?
9. What is the most important right granted to U.S. citizens?
10. What kind of government does the United States have?

Answers: (1) the Electoral College (2) Congress (3) Patrick Henry (4) Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Georgia (5) the 15th, 19th, 24th and 26th (6) Preamble (7) 435 (8) six years (9) the right to vote (10) a republic.

Source: www.uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/require.htm