Knowledge

Civic knowledge is an understanding of how our political system is structured; the rights and responsibilities of citizens; and key events, movements, and figures from our history. Civic knowledge is essential for a healthy democracy. An informed public is better equipped to hold leaders accountable, make informed choices at the ballot box, and make sense of current events by drawing on lessons from our past.

Given how important civic knowledge is, immigrants seeking to become naturalized citizens are required to take the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Naturalization Civics Test. To pass, applicants must correctly answer 60 percent of questions on a test covering the American government, constitutional principles, national holidays, and key symbols (such as the flag and the Statue of Liberty). 

Based on recent surveys, two-thirds of the American population would not be able to pass the Naturalization Civics Test. Although 95 percent of Americans say that civic knowledge is important, national surveys consistently show that civic knowledge is suffering: one in three Americans cannot identify three branches of government, and only 37 percent know the name of their congressional representative.

If you want to strengthen your civic knowledge, many resources are available online. The official USCIS civics question bank and nonpartisan platforms (including many of our institutional partners) offer tools to test and build your understanding; and reputable national and local news outlets help you stay informed about important issues and current events. As you evaluate your own understanding of government, history, and civic responsibilities, consider the following questions:

• Which civic topics or competencies do you believe are essential for all Americans to understand?
• Who should be responsible for strengthening civic knowledge—schools, families, media institutions, government, or individuals?
• Can someone participate effectively in civic life without strong factual knowledge? Under what conditions?
• How would you assess your current level of civic knowledge? In what areas are you strongest, and where do you see gaps?
• What is your assessment of the USCIS Naturalization Civics Test? Does it capture the knowledge citizens need today? What, if anything, would you add or take away?