National Holidays on the 2025 Civics Test

Memorial Day scene with rows of headstones at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia

Four Symbols and Holidays questions on the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test sit in one holiday cluster: what Independence Day is, name three national U.S. holidays, what Memorial Day is, and what Veterans Day is. Learn this group once and you cover Q125–Q128. The hero photo above shows Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery — the holiday that honors soldiers who died in military service.

What is Independence Day?

What is Independence Day? Accepted answers:

  • A holiday to celebrate U.S. independence (from Britain)
  • The country’s birthday

Either wording is fine. Short safe picks: the country’s birthday or a holiday to celebrate U.S. independence from Britain.

Name three national U.S. holidays

Name three national U.S. holidays. You need three. Accepted holidays include:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • Presidents Day (Washington’s Birthday)
  • Memorial Day
  • Juneteenth
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Columbus Day
  • Veterans Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

A short safe trio many applicants use: Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day — or mix in Memorial Day and Veterans Day since those have their own dedicated questions.

What is Memorial Day?

What is Memorial Day? Accepted answer:

  • A holiday to honor soldiers who died in military service

Say that exact idea: a holiday to honor soldiers who died in military service.

What is Veterans Day?

What is Veterans Day? Accepted answers:

  • A holiday to honor people in the (U.S.) military
  • A holiday to honor people who have served (in the U.S. military)

Either wording is fine. Short safe pick: a holiday to honor people who have served in the U.S. military.

Tip: on test day, keep Memorial Day and Veterans Day distinct — Memorial Day honors those who died in service; Veterans Day honors people who served (living or remembered for service).

How this shows up on test day

Think in a short chain:

  1. What is Independence Day? → the country’s birthday / celebrate U.S. independence from Britain
  2. Name three national holidays? → pick any three from the list (e.g. Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas)
  3. What is Memorial Day? → honor soldiers who died in military service
  4. What is Veterans Day? → honor people who have served in the U.S. military

That pattern covers Q125, Q126, Q127, and Q128. All sit in the Holidays block at the end of the 128-question bank, right after flag / anthem / Statue of Liberty symbols.

Nearby symbols worth linking

If you are drilling Symbols and Holidays, also review:

Study tip: memorize one ready trio for Q126, plus the Memorial Day / Veterans Day contrast — that covers the whole holiday cluster with almost no extra effort.

Your civics test has not changed

This is an evergreen study post, not a USCIS policy alert. Newsroom items and form updates do not rewrite these holiday answers. The 2025 Naturalization Civics Test remains a 128-question bank; up to 20 questions at the interview; 12 correct to pass, for Form N-400 filed on or after October 20, 2025. Which version you take still follows your filing date — see Which civics test: 2008 vs 2025 and official USCIS Check for Test Updates. Note: classic 2008-test geography items (longest rivers, oceans, border states) are not in this 2025 128-question bank — focus your Symbols and Holidays study on the questions above.

  • Holidays — Q125–Q128 in context
  • Symbols — flag, anthem, Statue of Liberty just before this cluster
  • Free scored practice test — drill Independence Day, three national holidays, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day until the answers feel automatic
  • Browse the full question list when you want one topic at a time
  • Use a daily civics study schedule to keep holiday facts warm alongside history and government

Tip: if the officer asks what Independence Day is, say the country’s birthday or a holiday to celebrate U.S. independence from Britain. If they ask for three national holidays, say three clear names from the list. If they ask about Memorial Day, say it honors soldiers who died in military service; for Veterans Day, say it honors people who have served in the U.S. military.

This post summarizes public USCIS civics materials for educational study. It is not legal advice.