Thread by @bopinion

A month after Kristallnacht, @davidjshipley’s father’s family left Berlin for the U.S.

As Jews, their time as Germans had to come to an end, to put it charitably. The family went first to NYC before settling in Oregon, a distant corner of a foreign land bloomberg.com/graphics/2021-…

Their relentless desire to become Americans, to join up with the country that had saved their lives, was brought home to @davidjshipley recently when he stumbled on Julian Shipley’s — his grandfather — study guide for his citizenship exam bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

@davidjshipley It wasn’t until the 1950s that the U.S. put in place a standardized citizenship exam.

Before then, applicants went before a judge, who quizzed them. Trick questions were forbidden, but everything else was fair game bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

@davidjshipley Many of us have the privilege of not having to take this test. And perhaps there’s a tendency, with things that are bestowed on us, to take them for granted.

So, Americans, this #FourthofJuly let’s see if you can answer these questions: bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Which war most directly prompted the creation of the Monroe Doctrine? bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Which goal is not mentioned in the preamble of the Constitution? bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Which of the following states seceded during the Civil War? bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Where must all bills intended to raise revenue originate? bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Which amendment is generally considered the basis for most states’ rights? bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Which amendments created and repealed Prohibition, respectively? bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Which was not one of the original 13 colonies? bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Which of these cities has not been the capital of the United States? bloom.bg/2TDbG1o

Here are the answers 🇺🇸

Happy #IndependenceDay bloom.bg/2TDbG1o