Lesson 2 · 18 min
Learn the basic ideas behind the U.S. government: a republic, three branches with checks and balances, the rule of law, shared federal and state powers, the economy, and political parties.
The United States is a republic. In a republic, the people choose leaders to make decisions for them. There is no king or queen.
Another name for this is a representative democracy. The people vote for representatives, and those representatives make the laws. If the people do not like their work, they can vote for someone else in the next election.
You may also hear the longer name “constitution-based federal republic.” Constitution-based means the government must follow the Constitution. Federal means power is shared between one national government and the governments of the 50 states.
The national government has three branches, or parts. The legislative branch (Congress) makes the laws. The executive branch (the President) carries out the laws. The judicial branch (the courts) explains the laws.
Dividing power this way is called separation of powers. The goal is simple: no one part of the government should become too powerful.
Each branch can also limit the others. This is called checks and balances. For example, the President can veto (reject) a bill from Congress, Congress can vote again to pass it anyway, and the courts can decide that a law goes against the Constitution.
The rule of law means that everyone must follow the law. This includes ordinary people, leaders, and the government itself. No one is above the law, not even the President.
The economic system of the United States is capitalism, also called a free market economy or market economy. In this system, people and private businesses own most companies and property. They decide what to make, what to buy, and what prices to charge.
The government still makes some rules for the economy, for example for safety and fair business. But most economic choices are made by people and businesses, not by the government.
Some powers belong only to the federal (national) government. It prints paper money and mints (makes) coins, declares war, creates an army, makes treaties (agreements) with other countries, and sets foreign policy. These jobs affect the whole country, so one government does them.
Other powers belong to the states. States provide schools and education, police protection, and fire departments. They give driver’s licenses and approve zoning, which means deciding how land in an area can be used.
The 10th Amendment explains this division. It says that powers not given to the federal government by the Constitution belong to the states or to the people.
Each state has a governor, who leads the state government, and a capital city, where the state government works. The governor changes after elections, so look up the current governor of your state, and learn your state capital. Residents of Washington, D.C. should know that D.C. is not a state and has no governor, and residents of a U.S. territory should know their territory’s governor and capital.
A political party is a group of people who share ideas about government and work to elect their candidates. The two major political parties in the United States are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
There are also smaller parties, and many voters do not belong to any party. Joining a party is a free choice.
The political party of the President can change after each presidential election. Before your interview, check the USCIS test updates page (https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates) for the current answer.
The question asks what kind of government the country has. In a republic, the people elect leaders to make laws for them, and there is no king. The Constitution sets the rules, and power is shared between the national and state governments. Memory hook: the Pledge of Allegiance says "and to the Republic for which it stands."
In capitalism, people and private companies own most businesses and property. Prices are mostly set by buying and selling in the market, not by the government. The government still makes some rules, for example about safety and fair business.
The rule of law means the same laws apply to everyone. The president, judges, police and the government itself must obey the law, just like any other person. Memory hook: "No one is above the law."
The founders did not want one person or group to have all the power. So they split power into three branches, and each branch can check the others. For example, the president can veto a bill, and the courts can decide a law goes against the Constitution.
Power in the U.S. is shared between the national (federal) government and the states. Some powers belong only to the federal government, such as money, war and dealing with other countries. A state cannot print its own money or make its own treaty with another country.
States handle many things in daily life, such as schools, police, fire departments and land use. Memory hook: your driver's license comes from your state, not from the federal government.
The 10th Amendment is the last part of the Bill of Rights. It says the federal government has only the powers the Constitution gives it. All other powers stay with the states or with the people.
[District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a governor.]
Your answer depends on the state where you live. The governor is the leader of a state's government. To find your governor, look at usa.gov or your state's official website. If you live in Washington, D.C., say that D.C. does not have a governor (it has a mayor).
[District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.]
Your answer depends on the state where you live. The capital is the city where the state government meets, and it is often not the biggest city (for example, Albany is the capital of New York). You can check usa.gov or your state's website. If you live in D.C., say D.C. is not a state and has no capital; if you live in a U.S. territory, name the territory's capital.
The United States has a market economy, also called a capitalist economy. People and private businesses own most companies and property, and buyers and sellers set most prices. Either name is a correct answer.
The "rule of law" means that the law applies to everyone in the same way. Ordinary people, leaders, and the government itself must all obey the law. Memory hook: no one is above the law, not even the President.
The federal government has three branches. The legislative branch (Congress) makes laws, the executive branch (the President) carries out laws, and the judicial branch (the courts) explains laws. You only need to name one.
Power is divided among three branches (separation of powers), and each branch can limit the others (checks and balances). For example, the President can veto a bill, but Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote.
The Constitution gives some powers only to the national (federal) government. These include printing money, declaring war, creating an army, and making treaties with other countries. Memory hook: a state cannot print its own money or start its own war.
States have their own powers over daily life. They run public schools, police and fire protection, driver's licenses, and rules about how land is used. The Tenth Amendment says powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people.
[District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a Governor.]
The answer depends on the state where you live. You can find your Governor on your state's official website or through usa.gov (search for your state government). If you live in Washington, D.C., the correct answer is that D.C. does not have a Governor.
[District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.]
The answer depends on the state where you live. The capital is the city where the state government meets, and it is often not the largest city. You can check usa.gov or your state's official website. If you live in Washington, D.C., say that D.C. is not a state and has no capital; if you live in a U.S. territory, name the territory's capital.
The two major political parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Other smaller parties exist, but these two win most elections. Memory hook: the donkey is a symbol of the Democrats and the elephant is a symbol of the Republicans.
Current answer listed by USCIS: Republican (Party)
From the USCIS test updates page (updated September 18, 2025), checked October 31, 2026. Answer with the official serving on your interview day: check USCIS.
This answer can change after a presidential election. Before your interview, check the USCIS test updates page (uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates) for the current answer.
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Lesson text is original study material based on the USCIS 2025 Civics Test Study Guide topics. Editorial status: draft, pending expert review.