1776
Declaration of Independence
Announced the separation of the thirteen colonies from Britain and proclaimed that all people are endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
View at National Archives✦ 100% free, no registration✦ Built by immigrants, for immigrants✦ 2025 civics test version
Official U.S. Government Sources
U.S. Citizenship History
Explore the history of the United States from colonial settlement to modern day. Learn about the founding documents, key events, and the naturalization process that welcomes nearly a million new citizens every year.
7 Historical Eras · Founding Documents · Official Naturalization Steps
1607–1775
Colonial Period
European colonists established permanent settlements along the Atlantic coast, developing early forms of self-government that would later inspire the American republic.
1607Source
Jamestown Settlement
English colonists established Jamestown, Virginia - the first permanent English settlement in North America. It became the foundation of English colonial expansion.
Did you know?
Of the 104 original Jamestown settlers, fewer than half survived the first year due to disease, starvation, and conflict.
1619Source
House of Burgesses
Virginia colonists formed the House of Burgesses, the first representative legislative assembly in British America. It established the principle that colonists had the right to govern themselves.
Did you know?
The House of Burgesses is considered a direct ancestor of the Virginia General Assembly, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere.
1620Source
Mayflower Compact
Pilgrim settlers aboard the Mayflower signed the Mayflower Compact, creating the first written framework for self-government in the colonies based on majority rule and the consent of the governed.
Did you know?
Only 41 of the 102 Mayflower passengers signed the compact - all adult male church members.
1754Source
Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union, the first formal proposal to unite the colonies under a single government. Though rejected at the time, it foreshadowed the federal system.
Did you know?
Franklin's famous 'Join, or Die' cartoon, published alongside the Albany Plan, is considered the first political cartoon in American history.
1776–1788
Founding & Independence
The thirteen colonies declared independence from Britain, fought and won the Revolutionary War, and created the founding documents that still govern the United States today.
1776Source
Declaration of Independence
The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, announcing the separation of the thirteen colonies from Britain and establishing that 'all men are created equal' with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Did you know?
The Declaration was not officially signed on July 4. Most delegates signed the parchment copy on August 2, 1776.
1781Source
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, were ratified in 1781. They created a weak central government and were soon found inadequate for governing the new nation.
Did you know?
Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress could not levy taxes - it could only ask states to contribute money, which they often refused.
1783Source
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War. Britain formally recognized the independence of the United States and ceded territory east of the Mississippi River to the new nation.
Did you know?
Negotiated in part by Benjamin Franklin, the treaty was considered so favorable to the United States that the British negotiators were criticized at home.
1787Source
Constitutional Convention
Delegates from twelve states met in Philadelphia and drafted the U.S. Constitution, replacing the Articles of Confederation with a stronger federal government balanced by separation of powers.
Did you know?
Rhode Island refused to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention, fearing a strong central government would harm its interests.
1788Source
Constitution Ratified
New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788, providing the two-thirds majority needed to put it into effect. The Constitution remains the supreme law of the land.
Did you know?
The U.S. Constitution is the oldest written national constitution still in use in the world.
1789–1860
Early Republic
The United States established its new government, expanded westward, and began grappling with the contradiction between its founding ideals of liberty and the institution of slavery.
1789Source
George Washington Inaugurated
George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, establishing precedents that shaped the presidency for generations.
Did you know?
Washington's first inaugural address, delivered in New York City, was only 1,419 words long - the second shortest in history.
1790Source
First Naturalization Act
Congress passed the Naturalization Act of 1790, the first federal law defining who could become a U.S. citizen. It limited naturalization to 'free white persons' of good character who had lived in the U.S. for two years.
Did you know?
The two-year residency requirement was increased to five years just four years later in 1795, and then to fourteen years in 1798 before settling back at five years in 1802.
1791Source
Bill of Rights Ratified
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. They protect fundamental freedoms including speech, religion, and the right to a fair trial.
Did you know?
James Madison, who drafted the Bill of Rights, was initially opposed to adding a bill of rights, fearing it would imply the government had powers not listed.
1803Source
Louisiana Purchase
President Thomas Jefferson doubled the size of the United States by purchasing approximately 828,000 square miles of territory from France for $15 million, expanding the nation westward to the Rocky Mountains.
Did you know?
The Louisiana Purchase cost about 4 cents per acre, making it one of the greatest land deals in history.
1848Source
Seneca Falls Convention
The first women's rights convention in the United States was held at Seneca Falls, New York. The 'Declaration of Sentiments' demanded equal rights for women, including the right to vote.
Did you know?
It would take 72 more years - until 1920 - for women to win the right to vote with the 19th Amendment.
1861–1877
Civil War & Reconstruction
The United States fought a devastating civil war over slavery, abolished it, and attempted to rebuild the nation and extend full citizenship to formerly enslaved people.
1861Source
Civil War Begins
The Civil War began when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter, South Carolina. Eleven Southern states seceded from the Union over the issue of slavery, triggering the deadliest conflict in American history.
Did you know?
More than 620,000 soldiers died in the Civil War - more American deaths than in World War I and World War II combined.
1863Source
Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate states 'shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.'
Did you know?
The Emancipation Proclamation did not immediately free all enslaved people - it applied only to Confederate states and exempted border states still in the Union.
1865Source
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified on December 6, 1865, formally abolished slavery throughout the United States, fulfilling the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Did you know?
Mississippi did not officially ratify the 13th Amendment until 1995 - and did not formally certify that ratification until 2013.
1868Source
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States. It is the constitutional foundation of modern civil rights law, guaranteeing equal protection under the law.
Did you know?
The 14th Amendment's citizenship clause directly overturned the Supreme Court's 1857 Dred Scott decision, which had ruled that Black Americans could never be citizens.
1870Source
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment prohibited denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude, giving Black men the right to vote for the first time.
Did you know?
Despite the 15th Amendment, many Southern states used poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence to prevent Black Americans from voting until the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
1878–1929
Progressive Era & Immigration
Millions of immigrants arrived through Ellis Island, the federal government took control of immigration and naturalization, and major constitutional amendments expanded rights and reformed society.
1892Source
Ellis Island Opens
Ellis Island opened as the primary federal immigration station. Between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million immigrants were processed there, making it the gateway to America for generations of newcomers.
Did you know?
At its peak in 1907, Ellis Island processed 11,747 immigrants in a single day.
1906Source
Naturalization Act of 1906
Congress passed the Naturalization Act of 1906, which standardized the naturalization process nationwide, required applicants to speak English, and established the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization.
Did you know?
Before 1906, any court could naturalize an immigrant. The 1906 act was the first to create a uniform federal process and require English language ability.
1920Source
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote, prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on sex. It was ratified on August 18, 1920, after a 72-year campaign for women's suffrage.
Did you know?
Tennessee was the decisive 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment. The vote was 49–47 - the margin provided by a 24-year-old legislator who changed his vote after receiving a letter from his mother.
1924Source
Indian Citizenship Act
The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States, recognizing them as citizens of the country they had always inhabited.
Did you know?
Even after the 1924 Act, some states continued to prevent Native Americans from voting until the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
1930–1968
WWII & Civil Rights
The United States emerged from World War II as a global superpower, and a powerful civil rights movement dismantled legal segregation and secured voting rights for all citizens.
1941Source
United States Enters WWII
Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Congress declared war. The U.S. fought on two fronts - in Europe against Nazi Germany and in the Pacific against Japan.
Did you know?
More than 16 million Americans served in the armed forces during World War II - approximately 11% of the total U.S. population at the time.
1943Source
Chinese Exclusion Repeal
The Magnuson Act repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, allowing Chinese immigrants to naturalize as U.S. citizens for the first time in over 60 years.
Did you know?
China was a U.S. ally in WWII, making the Chinese Exclusion Act a diplomatic embarrassment - a key reason for its repeal.
1952Source
Immigration and Nationality Act
The McCarran-Walter Act eliminated race as a bar to immigration and naturalization, allowing Asian immigrants to become citizens for the first time. It also codified the existing immigration system.
Did you know?
President Truman vetoed the act, calling it discriminatory, but Congress overrode his veto.
1964Source
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment and public accommodations. It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation in American history.
Did you know?
The bill faced a Senate filibuster lasting 60 days - the longest in Senate history - before finally passing.
1965Source
Voting Rights Act & Immigration Reform
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had disenfranchised Black voters. The same year, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 ended national-origin quotas, fundamentally reshaping American immigration.
Did you know?
Within a decade of the 1965 Immigration Act, immigration from Asia and Latin America surged, dramatically changing the demographic makeup of the United States.
1969–Present
Modern America
The United States continued to refine its immigration and naturalization system, extend civil rights protections, and welcome millions of new citizens from every nation on earth.
1969Source
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
On July 20, 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon, fulfilling President Kennedy's 1961 challenge and marking a historic achievement for the nation.
Did you know?
Armstrong's famous words - 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind' - were heard by an estimated 600 million people worldwide.
1971Source
26th Amendment
The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, largely in response to the argument that young Americans old enough to be drafted and fight in Vietnam were old enough to vote.
Did you know?
The 26th Amendment was ratified in just 100 days - the fastest ratification of any constitutional amendment in U.S. history.
2002Source
USCIS Established
Following the September 11 attacks, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 abolished the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and created U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to handle immigration benefits.
Did you know?
USCIS processes over 26,500 immigration benefit requests every working day.
2024Source
Record Naturalizations
USCIS naturalized over 878,500 new citizens in fiscal year 2023, among the highest annual totals in U.S. history. New citizens came from more than 180 countries.
Did you know?
Since 1907, more than 25 million people have been naturalized as U.S. citizens - a testament to America's enduring appeal as a destination for people seeking a new life.
Official USCIS Process
How Naturalization Works Today
The path to U.S. citizenship follows seven official steps administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
1
Determine Eligibility
Most applicants must be at least 18 years old, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 5 years (or 3 years if married to a U.S. citizen), and meet continuous residence, physical presence, and good moral character requirements.
2
Prepare Form N-400
Complete Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The form collects your biographical information, immigration history, and asks questions about your background and moral character. USCIS offers free online filing.
3
Submit Your Application
File Form N-400 online at my.uscis.gov or by mail. Pay the filing fee (currently $760, or $710 online) or apply for a fee waiver if eligible. USCIS will send a receipt notice confirming they received your application.
4
Biometrics Appointment
USCIS will schedule you for a biometrics appointment at an Application Support Center. Your fingerprints, photo, and signature are collected for an FBI background check. Most appointments take about 30 minutes.
5
Interview
A USCIS officer will review your N-400, test your ability to read, write, and speak English, and ask you up to 20 civics questions (you must answer at least 12 correctly). The full interview typically takes 20 to 40 minutes.
6
Receive a Decision
After your interview, USCIS will grant, continue, or deny your application. If granted, you will receive a notice for your Oath ceremony. If continued, you may need to provide additional evidence or retake the test.
7
Take the Oath of Allegiance
At a naturalization ceremony, you take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and receive your Certificate of Naturalization. This is the final step - you are now a U.S. citizen.
Information sourced from official USCIS publications at uscis.gov/citizenship. This site is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency.
National Archives
The Founding Documents
These four documents form the legal and philosophical foundation of the United States. Originals are preserved at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
1787
U.S. Constitution
Established the framework of the federal government with three branches - legislative, executive, and judicial - and remains the supreme law of the United States.
View at National Archives1791
Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution guarantee fundamental freedoms including speech, religion, press, assembly, the right to bear arms, and protection from unreasonable searches.
View at National Archives1790
Naturalization Act of 1790
The first federal law to define who could become a U.S. citizen - the origin of the naturalization system still in use today, though greatly expanded and reformed since then.
View at National ArchivesDid You Know?
U.S. Citizenship Facts
More than 25 million people have been naturalized as U.S. citizens since 1907.
USCIS naturalized 878,500 new citizens in fiscal year 2023 - one of the highest annual totals ever.
The United States has more immigrants than any other country in the world.
The Oath of Allegiance has been administered in essentially the same form since 1929.
Children born to U.S. citizens abroad are U.S. citizens at birth - a right rooted in the 14th Amendment.
Naturalized citizens can run for any federal office except President and Vice President.
New citizens came from more than 180 countries in FY 2023 - every inhabited continent is represented.
The top countries of birth for new citizens in recent years include Mexico, India, Cuba, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Constitution has been amended only 27 times since 1788 - the first 10 amendments (the Bill of Rights) were ratified together in 1791.
Independence Day (July 4) celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, making the U.S. over 248 years old.
Put your knowledge to work
Ready to Practice for Your Interview?
Now that you know the history, practice the 128 official civics questions or take a full mock test just like the real USCIS interview.
Stay Sharp
Study Tips & Updates in Your Inbox
Join thousands preparing for their citizenship interview. Get weekly civics tips, practice questions, and new study tools - straight to your inbox.
Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.