Anyone else thinks the civics questions are really easy?

[ramesesthe2nd 149]

6 hours ago, shomer said:

This stuff is really basic, isn't it?  Just watching TV around the 4th of July should give you most of the answers.  If you've lived in this country for 3-5 years, how can you not know where the Statue of Liberty is?

It's in Vegas. Give me one more citizenship right now. 

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/07/06/postal-service-misidentifies-statue-liberty-stamp-million-mistake/762306002/

 

EDIT: The joke is old already. #Repost

Edited July 7, 2018 by ramesesthe2nd

[Boiler 46,356]

You would have thought someone with general knowledge would have checked the answers, a quick glance and I can see 3 are wrong.

[TBoneTX 46,372]

I (a lifelong USC) took the test and was mortified to score only 98 out of 100.

 

For an irreverent (?) look at Mrs. T-B.'s experience with the test, see:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/382775-mrs-t-b-the-citizenship-test/

 

[Sukie 1,477]

I'm a USC, and in my 60s.  I scored a 94 out of 100 and was also mortified.  Most of my mistakes were in early history.  I was proud of myself for knowing all the civics answers (and the geography answers!).  Just to put it out there...my spouse is Australian and is from the east coast of Australia.  She always has to stop and think about the oceans, because the Pacific is on the EAST coast of Australia!

 

Sukie in NY

[Going through 5,671]

It wasn't easy for me---except for the most basic of questions.  I really knew nothing about US history/geography when studying for the test.

At my interview, I answered the first question incorrectly 3 times (the IO was giving me a chance by repeating the first question 3 times, I guess because I was sitting there literally holding my head in both hands as soon as she said "ok we're going to begin the test" so she correctly presumed I don't handle any sort of test well)

 

Link to my interview/test is in my signature for anyone curious.

 

 

[CB & FM 43]

21 hours ago, kris&me said:

the questions used to be so difficult that USC could not easily answer them

and most do not know the statue is actually in New Jersey if you check the state boundaries on a map

Despite the state line or even the dispute to which state it is in, the simple answer is New York Harbor, that is the name of the body of water that surrounds Liberty Island, no dispute there.

Edited July 7, 2018 by CB & FM

[CB & FM 43]

20 hours ago, wagner17 said:

Are you sure it's in NY/NJ?  U.S. Postal Service says it's in Vegas.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/07/06/postal-service-misidentifies-statue-liberty-stamp-million-mistake/762306002/

 

Hehe, that is hilarious.

 

But to be absolutely truthful about this article, they just chose an image they liked without researching it properly but the article makes a big deal that the replica sculptor won 3.5 million dollar suit saying that it cost the postal service money but they had already made 70 million in profit from the stamp. So in actuality they profitted from it to the tune of 66.5 million...not a loss at all.

[CarlHamilton 252]

13 hours ago, Boiler said:

You would have thought someone with general knowledge would have checked the answers, a quick glance and I can see 3 are wrong.

Which ones are wrong?

[Umka36 781]

22 hours ago, debbiedoo said:

most Americans couldnt pass the test.

 

its a sad world we live in.

 

Fortunately, politics and history are passions of both myself AND my fiance, so no worries on him not passing it lolololol hell, sometimes he even knows something i dont, and i have a degree in history LMAO

That’s the thing, most people study before taking an exam/test. If the average “American” studied before the naturalization test, they would past. I imagine the results would be similar for others taking their country’s naturalization exam. 

 

 

[Boiler 46,356]

2 hours ago, shomer said:

Which ones are wrong?

WW2

 

AWI

 

What you do when you take the oath

[CB & FM 43]

18 hours ago, Boiler said:

WW2

 

AWI

 

What you do when you take the oath

Can you elaborate?

[Boiler 46,356]

Well without looking the questions up agian

 

Just some example, Finland was not mentioned, there were others as well.

 

The causes of the AWI are complicated, they gave the Hollywood version which no real Historian would agree with.

 

The oath says specifically renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen, not what the answers say which is different.

 

[CarlHamilton 252]

13 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Well without looking the questions up agian

 

Just some example, Finland was not mentioned, there were others as well.

 

The causes of the AWI are complicated, they gave the Hollywood version which no real Historian would agree with.

 

The oath says specifically renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen, not what the answers say which is different.

 

AWI?

[TM92 527]

15 minutes ago, shomer said:

AWI?

I'm guessing its the American Revolutionary War, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War:

Quote

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence

Citation: Modern British writers generally favor "American War of Independence", rather than "American Rebellion" or "War of American Independence". "National Curriculum England".

Here is a BBC piece that refers it as the American War of Independence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/rebels_redcoats_01.shtml

Edited July 8, 2018 by TM92
citation

[CarlHamilton 252]

1 minute ago, TM92 said:

I'm guessing its the American Revolutionary War, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War:

Here is a BBC piece that refers it as the American War of Independence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/rebels_redcoats_01.shtml

 

1 minute ago, TM92 said:

I'm guessing its the American Revolutionary War, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War:

Here is a BBC piece that refers it as the American War of Independence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/rebels_redcoats_01.shtml

OK.  The question is "Why did the colonists fight the British?"  The accepted answers are "because of high taxes (taxation without representation); because the British army stayed in their houses; and because they didn't have self-government."  This is not the "Hollywood version" - these reasons are mentioned in the Declaration of Independence in the laundry list of ####### King George did.  http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/

 

On Finland, the question is who did the US fight in WWII.  The US did not fight Finland.  The USSR fought Finland, then Finland switched sides.  Nothing to do with the US.

 

On the Oath of Allegiance: all the given answers appear in the long form of the oath, which is conveniently reproduced in full right next to the question in the official booklet.

 

None of these answers are wrong.  Anything else?