2008 civics test · Question 94 · Geography
What is the capital of the United States?
One of the 20 questions for the 65/20 special consideration
Official answer
- Washington, D.C.
What this means
The capital of the United States is Washington, D.C.
The “D.C.” stands for District of Columbia. It is deliberately not part of any state. The founders placed the national capital on neutral ground so that no single state would host, and potentially influence, the federal government.
Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court are all located there. Because D.C. is not a state, its residents have no voting senators and only a non-voting delegate in the House.
Answer: Washington, D.C. Be careful not to confuse this with your own state capital, which the test asks about separately.
Why this is on the test
A common mix-up is answering with a state capital or with New York. The national capital is a district that belongs to no state.
How this question is asked
On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.
This question also appears on the 2025 civics test , as question 119.
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