The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

Explanation

The Constitution opens with "We the People," signaling that the government's power comes from the citizens, not a king.

Why it matters

Self-government means the people rule themselves through elected representatives - the core idea the whole document rests on.

The 65/20 special consideration

Question 3 is not in the 65/20 set. An applicant who is 65 or older and has been a lawful permanent resident for 20 years or more studies only the 20 marked questions, so this one would not be asked. Everyone else studies all 100.

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Answers that get mixed up with this one

These are the wrong options the practice test puts beside this question. Each one is the correct answer to a different question, which is what makes it tempting.

• the Bill of Rightsanswers Question 5: What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
• Everyone must follow the law.answers Question 12: What is the "rule of law"?
• six (6)answers Question 19: We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

More Principles of American Democracy questions

Questions the officer draws from the same part of the test. Studying them together is what keeps their answers apart.

• Question 1: What is the supreme law of the land?the Constitution
• Question 2: What does the Constitution do?sets up the government · defines the government · protects basic rights of Americans
• Question 4: What is an amendment?a change (to the Constitution) · an addition (to the Constitution)
• Question 5: What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?the Bill of Rights
• Question 6: What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?speech · religion · assembly · press · petition the government