A More Perfect Union:
The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monuments
and Memorials on the National Mall
1
Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Welcome to the Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence in Washington D.C.
Read the following information about the Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence.
The words that are in bold will help you answer questions from the Civics part of the Naturalization Test.
The words that are underlined are vocabulary words from the Reading and Writing parts of the
Naturalization Test.
Civics Test Questions are highlighted for quick reference.
A More Perfect Union:
The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monuments
and Memorials on the National Mall
2
The Declaration of Independence
It was signed by 56 members of the 2
nd
Continental Congress from all of the 13 colonies on
July 2, 1776, in Philadelphia, PA.
The Declaration of Independence was adopted
on July 4, 1776.
63. When was the Declaration of Independence
adopted?
This is why we celebrate Independence Day on July 4
th
.
99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?
The Declaration of Independence announced our independence from Great Britain.
8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
Another word for Declaration is “statement.” Another word for Independence is “freedom.”
The Declaration of Independence is a “statement of freedom.”
Thomas Jeerson wrote the Declaration of Independence.
69. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jeerson also wrote
that everyone has the right to:
• Life
• Liberty
• Pursuit of happiness
70. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
The 13 Original States
By signing the Declaration of Independence, the United States of America was created.
The 13 original colonies became the 13 original states.
• New Hampshire
• Massachusetts
• Rhode Island
• Connecticut
• New York
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Delaware
• Maryland
• Virginia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Georgia
64. There were 13 original states. Name three.
A More Perfect Union:
The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monuments
and Memorials on the National Mall
3
We honor the 13 original colonies on the American Flag.
The flag has 13 stripes because there were 13 original colonies.
96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
The first colony was Virginia. It was created in 1607. That is 169 years before the Declaration of
Independence was adopted.
Georgia was the last colony to be created 1731. That is 45 years before the Declaration of
Independence was adopted.
A More Perfect Union:
The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monuments
and Memorials on the National Mall
4
Fighting for Independence
The colonists adopted the Declaration of Independence when they were fighting the British in
the American Revolutionary War.
The colonists were fighting the British for many reasons. Some of the reasons they fought
the British were
• because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
• because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
• because they didn’t have self-government
61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
The United States won the American Revolutionary War
in 1781 at the Battle of Yorktown. In 1783, Benjamin Franklin,
who was famous U.S. diplomat, negotiated a treaty
with Britain. In the treaty, Britain recognized the
United States of American as an independent nation.
Benjamin Franklin was also one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence in 1776.
68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
The Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
The Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence was built in 1976. This was
exactly 200 years aer the Declaration was adopted in 1776.
The Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence is on an island in the middle
of the Constitution Gardens. It includes the signatures of all 56 signers of the Declaration of
Independence engraved in stone.
A More Perfect Union:
The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monuments
and Memorials on the National Mall
5
Vocabulary for the Reading and Writing Parts of the Naturalization Test
The table below contains the underlined words from the information you just read about
the Declaration of Independence and the Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of
Independence. They are some of the vocabulary words for the Reading and Writing parts of
the Naturalization Test.
Vocabulary for the
Reading Test
Vocabulary for Both the
Reading and Writing Test
Vocabulary for the
Writing Test
America
Many
Pay
U.S.
American flag / flag
Congress
First
Independence Day
Right / Rights
United States
Delaware
July
Taxes
To see a full list of the 100 questions on the Naturalization Civics Test, and a full list of the
vocabulary on the Reading and Writing Test, please visit the USCIS Citizenship Resource
Center: www.uscis.gov/citizenship.