Monday, July 10, 2023

U.S. Citizenship Lesson 21 | July 2023

 

N-400
Civics:
USA Learns 
Learn more:

Saturday, July 8, 2023

The Inside Story: Chinatown: Living in America

 VOA News: The Inside Story: Chinatown: Living in America 

This week on The Inside Story, we're taking a deep dive into Chinatown in New York City, one of the oldest Chinatowns in America. We'll explore how first and second-generation Asian Americans are using their digital savvy to bring about a new generation culture and identity to the city. Plus, we'll discuss the impact of the global pandemic on the historic New York neighborhood. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn about the history and culture of Chinatown and how it is adapting to the changing times. Join us this week on The Inside Story, Chinatown: Living in America. 


Friday, July 7, 2023

US Citizenship Test Changes Coming, Raising Concerns for Those With Low English Skills

Note: USCIS is trying to make the Naturalization Interviewer fairer, not harder.  
If you have an opportunity to participate in the pilot for the new test at your school, please do it!  
USCIS needs your help to collect good test information to make a new, fair Naturalization Interview and Civics Test.



VOA News: US Citizenship Test Changes Coming, Raising Concerns for Those With Low English Skills 

The U.S. citizenship test is being updated, and some immigrants and advocates worry the changes will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English proficiency...

...U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services proposes that the new test add a speaking section to assess English skills. An officer would show photos of ordinary scenarios – like daily activities, weather or food – and ask the applicant to verbally describe the photos.

In the current test, an officer evaluates speaking ability during the naturalization interview by asking personal questions the applicant has already answered in the naturalization paperwork.  (read more) |

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Richard Verma and His Long-Shot Story

Share America: Richard Verma and His Long-Shot Story 

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma shares his parents’ story of immigration from India to the United States, and how it created the foundation for his life and career.

Also see: 

uscitizenpod: A Quick Interview Based on the N-400r plus 10qs for Independence Day 24 questions based on the N-400r plus 10 civics question.

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Fredrick Douglass

 


Happy Independence Day Week! Today we will listen to an old podcast from uscitizenpod: USCIS 100:99 July 4th, Slavery, and Fredrick Douglass

We will first read about Q99 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will discuss the Declaration of Independence, the Compromise of 1850, and abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. Then we will listen to a short reading from Fredrick Douglass speech: “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” Note that Negro was a common term for Black or African-Americans, but it is not often used today. Let's get started.

DOWNLOAD MP3

excerpt from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Fredrick Douglass

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?

I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim.

To him, your celebration is a sham;
your boasted liberty, an unholy license;
your national greatness, swelling vanity;
your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless;
your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence;
your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery;
your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings,
with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast,
fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages...





TimelessReader1: Meaning of July 4th for the Negro - Frederick Douglass Speech - Hear the Text

Listen to and read text from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro, written by abolitionist and former slave: Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass presented this speech on July 5, 1852 in Rochester, NY. This speech concludes with a poem, a peace prayer, written by William Lloyd Garrison

For more info:

See zinnedproject.org: Frederick Douglass Fights for Freedom

Watch actor Danny Glover read abolitionist Frederick Douglass's "Fourth of July Speech, 1852" on October 5, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Part of a reading from Voices of a People's History of the United States (Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove.)



NPR: ‘What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?’: Descendants Read Frederick Douglass' Speech 

The U.S. celebrates this Independence Day amid nationwide protests and calls for systemic reforms. In this short film, five young descendants of Frederick Douglass read and respond to excerpts of his famous speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" which asks all of us to consider America's long history of denying equal rights to Black Americans.





Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Happy Independence Day!

 


As the nation prepares to celebrate 247 years of the country’s independence, smaller U.S. towns are marking holiday with their own traditions. VOA’s Saqib Ul Islam takes us to one small Virginia town that celebrated ahead of the July Fourth holiday. 


Resources for Independence Day

SI.edu/USCIS: Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship
This web resource provides online videos and activities on the 100 civics questions from the naturalization test and highlights museum objects from the Smithsonian Institution. 

USCIS: List of Naturalization Ceremonies on Independence Day 2023

USCIS: For Independence Day
USCIS highlights some of the resources for learners and teachers that are related to this important holiday.  Includes Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence and Establishing Independence.   Also check out two pdfs from the 13-pdf A More Perfect Union series: The Civics Test Guide to the Memorial to the Signers of Declaration of Independence and The Civics Test Guide to the Jefferson Memorial

USCIS: Civics Questions Playlist 
USCIS helps you prepare for the civics test by posting a new playlist: one video for each civics and history question asked by different examiners.  For Independence Day, check out 100:08, 09, 61, 62, 63, 64, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100. Good job, USCIS!


More Resources

American English at State: Celebrate Independence Day (pdf)
Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4 because on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, officially breaking bonds with England and forming a new independent nation, the United States of America.

Jennifer ESL: Lesson 26 - Red, White & Blue Idioms - Happy Fourth of July!
Learn six idioms based on the colors red, white, and blue.  MORE PRACTICE

Rachel's English: 4th of July Traditions
Happy 4th of July! This is the day we celebrate America’s independence. Study vocabulary, pronunciation, and phrases as we study REAL English conversation and learn about 4th of July traditions in the US.

This #IndependenceDay, we celebrate our democracy's progress toward a more equitable and prosperous society of the people, by the people, and for the people.

TED-ED: What you might not know about the Declaration of Independence - Kenneth C. Davis (video)
In June 1776, a little over a year after the start of the American Revolutionary War, the US Continental Congress huddled together in a hot room in Philadelphia to talk independence. Kenneth C. Davis dives into some of the lesser known facts about the process of writing the Declaration of Independence and questions one very controversial omission.

uscitizenpod: Independence Day Citizenship Interview with Lien Ho (2017)

uscitizenpod: A Quick Interview Based on the N-400r plus 10qs for Independence Day
New for 2016: 24 questions based on the N-400r plus 10 civics question.

We will discuss the Declaration of Independence, the Compromise of 1850, and abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. 

uscitizenpod: US Citizenship Podcast Independence Day Quiz (video)
Celebrate Independence Day with uscitizenpod. Here is a quiz based on USCIS 100:08, 09, 61, 62, 63, 64, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100.

One of the themes of this year's Smithsonian Folk Life Festival is immigration. As part of the festival events, a group of 25 children were sworn in as U.S. Citizens, just ahead of America's Independence Day holiday. VOA's Elizabeth Cherneff reports.

VOA Learning English;  America's Birthplace: Independence National Historical Park (mp3 and article)
This week, our U.S. National Parks journey takes us to the eastern city of Philadelphia, an important place in American history.

President Biden Participates in a Naturalization Ceremony to Welcome Citizens to Our Country Ahead of Independence Day

Today, Americans are #BackTogether – celebrating our country’s July 4th Independence Day and the progress we have made against the virus together. 

Monday, July 3, 2023

How America Misunderstands the Declaration of Independence

The Atlantic: How America Misunderstands the Declaration of Independence 

Few Americans are aware of the fact that the first printing of the Declaration of Independence contained a copy error. As a result, many subsequent republications of the text display the typo. In a new video filmed at the 2018 Aspen Ideas Festival in June, Danielle Allen, a political theorist and professor at Harvard University, explains why this seemingly innocuous oversight can have grave consequences. Interpreting this sentence correctly, Allen argues, is crucial to understanding how the powers of government are organized—and, consequentially, how to be an effective civic agent.

Learn more:

Sunday, July 2, 2023

New Citizens Naturalized in Seattle Independence Day Ceremony

Gov. Jay Inslee: New Citizens Naturalized in Seattle Independence Day Ceremony

For 30 years, the Seattle Center has hosted an annual naturalization ceremony under the shadow of the Space Needle to certify immigrants as Americans on Independence Day.

This year, over 300 immigrants from 74 countries were naturalized. Migrants from Ukraine, Afghanistan, the Philippines, El Salvador, Norway, Rwanda, and other nations swore their allegiance to the United States and in so doing, completed their journey to citizenship.

I was joined by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, King County Executive Dow Constantine, U.S. District Court judges David Estudillo and Ricardo Martinez, and other speakers in welcoming the new class of citizens.

Of special note was Margita from the Czech Republic. At 78 years old, she was the oldest of the new class of citizens, proving it's never too late to achieve your dreams. Welcome, Margit!

Learn more:

Saturday, July 1, 2023

What you might not know about the Declaration of Independence

TED-ed: What you might not know about the Declaration of Independence - Kenneth C. Davis 

In June 1776, a little over a year after the start of the American Revolutionary War, the US Continental Congress huddled together in a hot room in Philadelphia to talk independence. Kenneth C. Davis dives into some of the lesser known facts about the process of writing the Declaration of Independence and questions one very controversial omission. 

Full Lesson Plan by Kenneth C. Davis, animation by Karrot Animation.

Friday, June 30, 2023

U.S. Citizenship Lesson 20 | June 2023

 
 
N-400
Civics:
USA Learns 

Thursday, June 29, 2023

U.S. Citizenship Lesson 19 | June 2023

v
 
 
N-400
Civics:
USA Learns 
Learn more:

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

U.S. Citizenship Lesson 18 | June 2023

 

 

N-400
Civics:
USA Learns 

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

U.S. Citizenship Lesson 17 | June 2023

 
 
N-400
Civics:
USA Learns 
Learn more:

Monday, June 26, 2023

U.S. Citizenship Lesson 16 | June 2023

 

N-400
Civics:
USA Learns 

Sunday, June 25, 2023

American PRIDE!



In honor of LGBT Pride Month, a single question about the Flag: Long May She Wave!  Text: uscitizenpod |  Video: Lori Saltis

Take the full quiz:


LOVE AND PRIDE: A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of LGBT Pride Month (10 questions)


Ten Resources to go (Plus one--so many more explore!)
Center for Civic Education: 60 Second Civics LGBTQ+ Pride Week Series
  • Part 1: What’s Significant About the Stonewall Riots? 
  • Part 2: Laying the Groundwork for LGBTQ+ Rights
  • Part 3: Goodridge: The Cinderella Moment for Marriage Equality
  • Part 4: Early Legislative Victories for LGBTQ+ Rights
  • Part 5: The Defense of Marriage Act
  • Part 6: Obergefell v. Hodges
  • Part 7: The Future for LGBTQ+ Rights

Library of Congress (LOC)

Miscellaneous:

Saturday, June 24, 2023

U.S. Citizenship Resources for Caribbean American Heritage Month

 USPTOvideo: Caribbean American Heritage Month

USPTO celebrates Caribbean American Heritage Month by exploring the many nations and one voice that our Caribbean American employees bring to the agency. The many nations of the Caribbean - from Haiti, to Jamaica, to Guyana and more − share their diverse racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds as well as cuisines, carnivals, festivals, music, dance, film, and literature that enrich our social landscape. This month, we proudly recognize the tremendous contributions Caribbean Americans bring to the realm of Intellectual Property and to the USPTO community.

Archives: National Caribbean American Month

Caribbean American Month: National Caribbean American Month

Caribbean American Heritage Foundation of Texas

Census: National Caribbean American Heritage Month

Forbes: 'A Celebration': The Congressional Black Caucus Honors Caribbean American Heritage Month

Fordham University: A Rich History of Caribbean Immigration to the US

ICSDC: National Caribbean American Month

NPS: Archeology This Month: Caribbean American Heritage

NYPL: Caribbean American Heritage Month

Tenement Museum: June is Caribbean American Heritage Month!

uscitizenpod: ¡Viva Boricua! A Citizenship Quiz In Honor of Puerto Rico

US Dept of Interior: Caribbean American Heritage Month

USCIS: Resources in Haitian Creole

WH: A Proclamation on National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, 2023

WH: Vice President Harris Co-Hosts the U.S.-Caribbean Leaders Meeting in Nassau, The Bahamas