Should it be manditory for ALL U.S. citizens, U.S. born or not, to know the answers to the citizenship q's?

Question

If we can't even answer the questions ourselves (and I imagine most of us legal citizens can't) what right do we have to force immigrants to know trivial information that we ourselves don't even know ?

Citizenship q's = The questions the citizenship test.

Answer 1

The majority of people in the U.S. cannot tell you who the Vice-President of the United States is. Over 40% of U.S. 11th graders cannot tell point out on a map globe where Canada is. The SCARY part is, something like 20% of their TEACHERS cannot point on a globe to where Canada is, all based on national surveys. No, I do not believe whatsoever in "testing" of intelligence. Testing immigrants is as unethical and useless as "testing" black people for intelligence before they were allowed to vote a couple of generations ago. All nations of the world, though, impose these sort of screenings for qualifications they feel might select the people most likely to succeed in their new land. Many nations impose an amount of money one must have to become a citizen there. But, as tempting as it would be to make everyone have to take the same tests as the U.S. requires for new citizenship, testing for intelligence or knowledge never proves anything. It doesn't hurt to have specific guidelines to follow, though, to learn about one's new land. But, what people do with those guidelines and whether they actually learn any of it or not, is called freedom. Just ask any high school kid, next time you ask him to point out Canada on a globe for you. If he fails, where are you going to ship HIM back to? : )

Answer 2

Well, I am a PR myself. I don't think it is asking to much to take Citizenship test for immigrants to become a U. S citizen. After all, immigrates are here for better life and without proper English skills. How do you proceed to get education, job, and better life? I also chose to mix in with the people around me but not limited to Americans, the are many immigrants from different culture background in California and i can learn from each one of them.Seriously, without knowing the basic structure of the government and sufficient English skills, immigrates are not going to survive in this country. Imaging yourself in a foreign country and you don't speak the language, you won't know what's going on on the news and what's happening that might concern you. You don't know where and how to get food, can't get a job, don't know how to ask for help???? well, would you be happy?
American born citizens;on the other hand, have advantage in the language department and mostly acquired their language naturally by their peers and schoolings. I am sure the CIS doesn't develop the questions to challenge the new immigrates;rather, it is a universal from to see where and how immigrates are doing in the language department. Common, they are only asking common knowledge. With a little study, i am sure everyone can pass the test. TOFEL, SAT, and GMAT are all MUCH MUCH harder.

Answer 3

the U. S. would not nicely known twin citizenship .. so some distance as our u . s . is going you're in basic terms a popular US citizen what the different international places think of approximately it relatively is their corporation. apart from something that happens whilst the youngster is under 18 makes no distinction in any respect, a baby won't be able to provide up their citizenship and a parent won't be able to do it for them. So the placement is that the youngster is a organic citizen, end of tale.

Answer 4

good question! its true kids learn that stuff in history class in school, but i mean come on... im 20 years old and i just took a government class last year but if you ask me to take the citizenship test i probably wouldnt even remember half of the answers! and i am a US born citizen too! so you make a good point here. i bet immigrants who apply for citizenship could care less how many representatives there are in congress or who the chief justice of the supreme court is. as soon as they take the test and pass they will already have forgotten everything.

Answer 5

Number one most people who natualized had to pass the test in order to become citizens. If it was impossible to do then there would be no natualized citizens!!
Number 2 while be a natural born citizen gives people rights! If people are really serious about becoming citizen then they will go the extra mile and study the questions!!
Number 3 people who come over legally don't have to become US Citizens if they don't wish too. They aren't going to get deported. Nobody is makeing them swear an allegence to our flag.
If someone is not born rich they have to work harder if they want to become wealthy. The same apply for citizen and non-citizens!!Being a born citizen automatically grants one certain privilages where as being a non-citizen means one has to work harder for it.

Answer 6

there is a book about this...called "the great american citizenship quiz" i got the book and found that i do not know many of the answers, and was sort of embarrassed to find that many of my ESL students knew WAY more answers than i did! so, i studied the book and learned the answers. and i feel really good abot it! it's cool to know about your own country. later, i took a trip to washington dc and it was a really powerful thing to see how our government works, and where the action happens. i recommend it for everyone! before you run off to another country for vacation...try learning a little about your own first! it makes those other international trips even more rewarding.

i'm not sure if we could enforce this type of mandate. but i can tell you that many of the answers are on public school tests such as the TAKS. the passing of these tests is required for a high school diploma. i think this younger generation will know these answers....but that's not to say they will remember them! :)

Answer 7

The idea is that if they really want to be Americans and not just 'take' what we have to offer, they should be interested enough to study about America. All of our children do that in school. They may not retain it all, but should surely retain some of it, as did our own children.

Personally I have passed every sample version of the test I've taken, including the new one. However, the point is studying and learning, not retaining every single point for life.

Answer 8

I don't think it's a matter of "rights" and we don't "force" anyone....I think a long time ago, when people had common sense and wisdom, they realized that
when someone like my sweet Chinese wife of yesteryear wanted to qualify
[if you would] for citizenship, that giving a test where they would probably study and acquaint themselves with our form of government and it's history -- as well as giving them a test in English to encourage them to brush up on language skills! What a great idea -- it has continued to HELP them as those wise forefathers had foreseen. J...... can now converse on government subjects to some degree and read better in English. The time delay in offering the test allowed ample months to adjust.
Of course, she could have hidden herself with other Chinese and never learned to drive, get a job, read, watch TV or movies or known what people meant when an election for Senator etc was being discussed [she would REALLY HAVE ENJOYED BEING LOOKED DOWN UPON for the REST of her
life! Ha -- YOU don't know J........] she chose to be herself, learn, and mix in with us. if one doesn't like the test they can remain as permanent Visa status.

Answer 9

Being born within the US borders and Territories is affording us the culture of the country we call home. Home is a powerful allegiance as much as a child and mother. You will fight for your children not because they are right or wrong but because they are yours. Immigration is a process by which the immigrant lets go of his or hers culture and allegiance. It is not the questions as much as it is the process.

Answer 10

They are all basic questions that are taught in elementary school if someone cant put forth the effort to learn about our history then its not someone we should allow to be a citizen