2025-2026 MAE Citizenship Class 30

NY Hisorical Society: World War II // The Citizenship Project [E06]

N-400 practice

• Travel and Illegal Entry / Deportation plus Quiz 14: History Groups
• Question 17: Crimes

Preparing the Oath: The 1900s

Voices of Freedom: Ch 10: The 20th Century (Civil Rights movements next week)

A Summary of the US Constituion pdf

N-400 Part 12 Quiz 3 pdf

128 Civics Quiz: The 20th Century Part 1 pdf

2025-2026 MAE Citizenship Class 29

iCivics:  Defining Citizenship - Teaching the Fourteenth Amendment

Also watch:

• Annenberg Classroom: The Reconstruction Amendments
• iCivics: The Constitution Explained Playlist English | Spanish
• New York Historical Society: The Emancipation Proclamation
• TED-ED: The electrifying speeches of Sojourner Truth - Daina Ramey Berry
• TED-ED: The breathtaking courage of Harriet Tubman - Janell Hobson
• TED-ED: One of the most "dangerous" men in American history - Keenan Norris
• TED-ED: The historic women’s suffrage march on Washington - Michelle Mehrtens
• The American Experience: The Supreme Court Case that Affirmed Birthright Citizenship

N-400 practice

• N-400 2023: E4 Marriage and Children / Immigration Fraud plus Quiz 13: Civic Groups
• N-400 2024: Questions 15 and 16: Arrests 

Preparing the Oath: The 1800s

Voices of Freedom: Ch 9: The 1800s and the Civil War (follow-up: need to review other amendments and 1800s activism)

A Summary of the US Constituion pdf

N-400 Part 12 Quiz 2 pdf

128 Civics Quiz: The 1800s (saved from last next week)

USCIS 128:99. Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s.

OpenAI. (2026). Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s.   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

In the 1800s, women in the United States had fewer rights than men. In many places, women could not vote, hold public office, serve on juries, or control their own property after marriage. Many women believed these laws were unfair and began working for change. Their efforts became known as the women’s rights movement.

Many early women’s rights leaders were also active in the movement to end slavery. While attending anti-slavery meetings, some women realized that they were also being denied equal rights. This helped inspire the fight for women’s equality.

One important event was the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 in New York. It was organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815–1902) and Lucretia Mott (1793–1880). At the convention, leaders wrote the Declaration of Sentiments, a document that called for equal rights for women, including the right to vote.

Another important leader was Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906). She traveled across the country giving speeches and organizing campaigns for women’s suffrage, or the right to vote. Anthony worked closely with Stanton for many years. Together, they became two of the most important leaders of the movement.

Sojourner Truth (about 1797–1883) was another important voice. She escaped slavery and later became a powerful speaker for both abolition and women’s rights. In 1851, she gave her famous speech called “Ain’t I a Woman?” in Ohio. In the speech, she argued that Black women deserved the same rights and respect as others.

Harriet Tubman (about 1822–1913) is best known for helping enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad, but she also supported women’s voting rights later in her life. She spoke at meetings and worked with suffrage leaders.

Another leader, Lucy Stone (1818–1893), became famous for speaking publicly about women’s rights and opposing slavery. She also helped organize national women’s rights groups and published newspapers supporting equality.

The women’s rights movement lasted many years. Finally, in 1920, the United States passed the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote nationwide.

Today, these women are remembered for helping expand freedom and equality in the United States.

USCIS 128:98. When did all men get the right to vote?

OpenAI. (2026).  When did all men get the right to vote?   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

After the Civil War ended in 1865, the United States began a period called Reconstruction. During Reconstruction, the country worked to rebuild the South and create new rights for formerly enslaved people.

Before the Civil War, slavery existed in many southern states, and most African Americans could not vote. After the war, the 13th Amendment ended slavery, and the 14th Amendment defined citizenship and equal protection under the law. Many leaders believed that voting rights were also necessary for freedom and equality.

During Reconstruction, African American men began participating in politics. Some voted for the first time, attended political meetings, and even served in local, state, and national government. However, many white southern leaders opposed these changes.

Because of this, Congress proposed the 15th Amendment. The amendment said that the federal government and the states could not deny a citizen the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. In simple terms, it protected the voting rights of African American men.

The 15th Amendment was ratified in 1870. This meant that all men officially gained the legal right to vote regardless of race.

Even after the amendment passed, many African American, Asian, and Latino men still faced discrimination. Some southern states created unfair laws such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and intimidation to prevent Black citizens from voting.

During the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, activists worked to protect voting rights again. Leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. spoke out against discrimination. In 1965, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which helped enforce the protections of the 15th Amendment.

Today, the 15th Amendment remains an important part of the Constitution because it helped expand democracy and voting rights in the United States.

EXTRA: 

It is important to note that Native Americans did not have the right to vote until 1924, and some states waited until the 1960s to extend this vital right.

USCIS 128:117.   Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

USCIS 128:97. What amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens?

OpenAI. (2026).  What amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens?   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

The 14th Amendment was approved by Congress on June 13, 1866, and ratified by the states on July 9, 1868. 

The 14th Amendment was created after the Civil War to protect the rights of people who had been enslaved. This amendment extended the freedoms and rights in the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people and helped make sure they were treated as full citizens under the law.

The 14th Amendment has five sections.  The first section includes four clauses that rights:

First, it explains citizenship.

• If a baby is born in the United States, the baby is a U.S. citizen.  This is called birthright citizenship.
• A person can naturalize by fulfilling eligibility requirements.  After meeting the requirements and taking the Oath of Allegiance, the person becomes a U.S. citizen.
• As citizens, a baby born in the U.S. and a naturalized person, are citizens of the United States and citizens of the State where they live.  They have rights and responsibilities in their State and the United States.

Second, the 14th Amendment includes the Privileges or Immunities Clause. This means states cannot take away basic rights that belong to U.S. citizens.

Third, it also has the Due Process Clause. This means the government must follow fair rules and laws before it can take away a person’s life, liberty, or property.

Last, there is the Equal Protection Clause. This means the law must treat people fairly and equally.

In simple terms, the 14th Amendment defines citizenship and protects equal rights for all people under the law.

EXTRA:

Although the 14th Amendment gave citizenship to people born in the United States in 1868, many Native Americans did not automatically become U.S. citizens. At that time, many Native Americans were considered members of their own tribal nations and not fully under the authority of the U.S. government.  

Native Americans were granted United States citizenship on June 2, 1924, through the Indian Citizenship Act. This act granted citizenship to all Native Americans born within the U.S. without requiring them to give up their tribal affiliations.

USCIS 128:74.   Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? *

USCIS 128:96. What U.S. war ended slavery?

OpenAI. (2026). What U.S. war ended slavery?   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

The Civil War is the U.S. war that ended slavery. It took place from 1861 to 1865.

Before the war, the United States was divided. The northern states (Union) wanted to keep the country together, while the southern states (Confederacy) wanted to leave the Union. A major issue was slavery.

Even before the war, many people worked to end slavery. These people were called abolitionists. For example, Frederick Douglass spoke and wrote against slavery. Harriet Tubman helped enslaved people escape to freedom. William Lloyd Garrison used his newspaper to argue for immediate abolition.

The war began on April 12, 1861, at the Battle of Fort Sumter. During the war, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. This order freed enslaved people in the Confederate states, but it did not end slavery everywhere and depended on the Union winning the war.

Because of this, leaders in Congress decided to create a permanent law to end slavery. In 1864 and 1865, members of Congress debated a new amendment to the Constitution. Some lawmakers strongly supported it, saying slavery must end forever. Others opposed it or worried about its effects. The debate was difficult, and the amendment did not pass at first.

President Lincoln supported the amendment and encouraged Congress to act. In January 1865, the House of Representatives finally approved the 13th Amendment after a close and important vote. The Senate had already passed it earlier.

After Congress approved it, the amendment was sent to the states. By December 1865, enough states had approved it, and the 13th Amendment became law. It officially ended slavery in all parts of the United States.

In simple terms, the Emancipation Proclamation began freeing enslaved people during the war, and the 13th Amendment made the end of slavery permanent in the Constitution.

The Civil War is important because it kept the country united and led to the final and legal end of slavery.

Also see: USPS 32c Civil War pane of twenty stamps source (note: the back has mini biographies!)

USPS 128:95. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

OpenAI. (2026). What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

The Emancipation Proclamation was an important action during the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln issued it on January 1, 1863.

Before this, the Civil War began in 1861. At first, the main goal of the Union was to keep the country together. However, slavery was a major issue in the conflict.

In September 1862, after the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln announced that he would free enslaved people in the states that were still fighting against the Union. This led to the Emancipation Proclamation.

On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. It freed enslaved people in the Confederate states. It did not immediately free all enslaved people, but it changed the purpose of the war. Now the war was also about ending slavery.

Even after this order, freedom did not reach everyone right away. In some places, slavery continued until Union soldiers arrived.

For example, in Texas, enslaved people were not freed until June 19, 1865. On that day, Union troops arrived and announced that all enslaved people were free. This day is now called Juneteenth.

In 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in the United States. It is now known as Juneteenth National Independence Day. Americans observe this day to remember the end of slavery and to honor freedom and equality.

The Emancipation Proclamation was an important step toward ending slavery. It helped lead to freedom for millions of people and changed the future of the nation.

2025-2026 MAE Citizenship Class 28

 

uscitizenpod: New York Historical Society: The Emancipation Proclamation

Also watch:

• TED-ED: How one piece of legislation divided a nation - Ben Labaree, Jr.
• TED-ED: What is Juneteenth, and why is it important? - Karlos K. Hill and Soraya Field Fiorio
• TED-ED: The breathtaking courage of Harriet Tubman - Janell Hobson
• TED-ED: Debunking the myth of the Lost Cause: A lie embedded in American history - Karen L. Cox

N-400 practice

• N-400 2023: E-3: Origin / Groups and Organizations
• N-400 2024: Questions 12, 13, 14: Weapons, Child Soldiers

uscitizenpod: 10 Citizenship Questions in Honor of Earth Day (pdf)

Preparing the Oath: The 1800s

Voices of Freedom: Ch 9: The 1800s and the Civil War (follow-up: need to review other amendments and 1800s activism)

N-400 Part 12 Quiz (Part Quiz) 1 pdf

128 Civics Quiz: The 1800s (correction) (save till next week)

USPS 128:94. Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one.

OpenAI. (2026). Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one.   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most important leaders in U.S. history. He is famous for many things that happened during a difficult time in the country.

First, Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States on November 6, 1860. He took office on March 4, 1861. Soon after, the Civil War began in April 1861.

During the war, Lincoln led the United States and worked to save the Union. This means he wanted to keep the country together. He guided the nation through the war from 1861 to 1865.

On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This order declared that enslaved people in the Confederate states were free. It made ending slavery an important goal of the war.

Later that year, on November 19, 1863, Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address in Pennsylvania. In this speech, he honored the soldiers who died and reminded the country that the United States was founded on the idea that all people are equal. He said the nation must continue the work of freedom and make sure that “government of the people, by the people, for the people” continues.

The Civil War ended in April 1865. Soon after, Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, and he died on April 15, 1865. His death shocked the nation.

Abraham Lincoln is remembered for leading the country during the Civil War, preserving the Union, and helping end slavery. For the civics test, you only need to name one of these facts.