Citizenship, the next hurdle

Well I am starting to contemplate the next step of the immigration process, citizenship.

I am now in year 2 of a 10-year Green Card and so there's no rush or pressure. But anyone who has been through this immigration process will understand my sentiment that I just want to be done with it for good. Plus the fee goes up steadily every year, this year it would cost me $675, in addition to the approximate $3,000 to get this far.

As for the actual decision to take citizenship, for me personally it's a no brainer as I can retain my British citizenship and have dual nationality, And as I pay taxes here, own property and plan to stay permanently, I would like to have all my other rights and voting privileges too.

I am starting to gear up, but this time some studying will also be required, as I have to pass the citizenship test. It has 100 potential questions, they ask me up to ten and I have to get 60% correct. We went through the flash cards tonight and I actually surprised myself with how many I could answer. I think living here you soak up more than you realise over a few years, plus going through an election has helped too.

I spent Monday grading the 5th grade Social Studies papers and realised the history they are learning this year, is also what I need to know. So today their teacher kindly loaned me a textbook and workbook so I can start studying. We both think I will retain more like this, rather than just reading the questions and answers repeatedly.

For me the hardest part is getting my head around the government and how it works, as it's completely different to the UK. The Hubster has looked over the test questions and thinks quite a few Americans would struggle to answer some. So I thought I'd throw a few of the questions in here and you can test yourselves and let me know how you do, but no googling allowed!

#14 What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

#21 The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

#37 What does the judicial branch do?

#41 Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

#61 Why did the colonists fight the British?

#63 When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

#66 When was the Constitution written?

#67 The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers?

#71 What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

#77 What did Susan B. Anthony do?

#88 Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

#96 Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Knock yourselves out!