Anyone who is becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States must take part in the naturalization ceremony and must take the US citizenship oath in order to become a citizen of the US. Many applicants are nervous about the oath, but there are a number of resources available to help applicants take the oath successfully. Most recently, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has teamed up with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to create a resource known as Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship.
Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship (http://americanhistory.si.edu/citizenship/) is an online resource that is designed to help prepare applicants for the naturalization test and oath. Applicant’s who go online on the Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship site will find multimedia activities as well as videos that will help them learn more about civics in the US. The site uses the Smithsonian’s own collections to help teach visitors what they need to know to pass the naturalization test and ceremony.
Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship allows applicants to study at their own pace an in their own time. The learning materials on the site are based on the 100 civics questions and answers the USCIS uses when administering the civics portion of the naturalization test. Visitors to the site will learn more about US history, civics, and government. There are also self-tests that help users evaluate their knowledge. The site contains interactive activities and is organized by theme so that students can hone in on those areas that need more work. There is also a section for teachers who are interested in using the resource in their classrooms. While applicants hoping to become US citizens will find the resource useful, those wanting to learn more about US civics and history may also find the site of interest.
