4. The U.S. Constitution starts with the words "We the People." What does "We the People" mean?
American Government · Principles of American Government
Accepted answer(s)
- Self-government
- Popular sovereignty
- Consent of the governed
- People should govern themselves
- (Example of) social contract
USCIS officers ask this on the 2025 Civics Test because understanding "american government" is core to how the U.S. system works day to day. Memorize the exact answer above rather than a paraphrase — officers accept the wording USCIS publishes, and "Self-government" is the safest phrasing to say out loud in the interview.
This is question 4 of the 2025 Civics Test. See it on uscis.gov.