School referenda split throughout Minn.

by Minnesota Public Radio

The structure of the test itself hasn't changed. Applicants will still need to prove they have knowledge of the English language, civics and history by answering correctly to six out of 10 open-ended questions. What has changed is the way immigration officers will ask these questions. They say the more nuanced questions are meant to make the test more meaningful.

Question:

• • Old version: What country did we fight during the Revolutionary War?
• • Revised version: Why did the colonists fight the British?

See the acceptable answers

Question:

• • Old version: What is the Constitution?
• • Revised version: What does the Constitution do?

See the acceptable answers

Question:

• • Old version: What is the most important right granted to a United States citizen?
• • Revised version: What are two rights only for United States citizens?

See the acceptable answers

Other revised questions (Click the questions to see aswers):

• • What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
• • What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
• • Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
• • Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
• • What is the economic system in the United States?

Click on the links or scroll down to see the acceptable answers in the new version of the citizenship test.

Acceptable answers

On the previous test, though the questions were still open-ended, based on the way they were asked there was only one correct answer. On the new test, the rephrasing of the questions allow for more than one correct answer. For the questions above, the following answers would be considered correct. Officials say the questions still convey the same idea, but the new ones allow for the applicant to answer in various, more complex ways that rely on more than just rote memorization.

Question: Why did the colonists fight the British?
• • Because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
• • Because the British army stayed in through houses (boarding, quartering)
• • Because they didn't have self-government

Question: What does the Constitution do?
• • Set up the government
• • Defines the government
• • Protects basic rights of Americans

Question: What are two rights only for United States citizens?
• • Apply for a federal job
• • Vote
• • Run for office
• • Carry a U.S. passport

Question: What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
• • Speech
• • Religion
• • Assembly
• • Press
• • Petition of government

Question: What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
• • The constitution was written
• • The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution

Question: Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
• • War of 1812
• • Mexican-American War
• • Civil War
• • Spanish-American War

Question: Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
• • Missouri River
• • Mississippi River

Question: What is the economic system in the United States?
• • Market economy
• • Capitalist economy