Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

Students Faculty Staff Community
University of Nebraska Omaha logo
Criss Library
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
Students Faculty Staff Community
  • My Accounts Backback to Main menu
    • Library Account Login
    • ILLiad Login
  • About Us Backback to Main menu
    • About Us
    • Hours and Spaces
    • History
    • Meet the Dean
    • Faculty and Staff Directory
    • Policies
    • Support the Library
    • Service Learning & Community Engagement
    • University of Nebraska Consortium of Libraries (UNCL)
  • Library Services Backback to Main menu
    • Library Services
    • Borrowing & Library Use
    • Faculty Services
    • Computers and Media Equipment
    • Print, Copy, Scan, and Fax
    • Online Learning Services
    • Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery
    • Accessibility Services in Criss Library
  • Research & Instruction Backback to Main menu
    • Research and Instruction Home
    • Make an Appointment
    • Subject Librarians
    • Library Instruction
  • Archives & Special Collections Backback to Main menu
    • Archives and Special Collections
    • Using the Collection
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • Manuscript Collections
    • U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives
    • Books and Published Material
    • University Archives
    • Digital Collections
  • Creative Production Lab Backback to Main menu
    • Creative Production Lab (CPL)
    • 3D Printing
    • Large Format Printing
    • Laser Cutting & Makerspace
    • Audio, Video, and Photography
    • Faculty Video Streaming
    • Creative Production Lab Equipment
    • Media Resources
  1. UNO
  2. Criss Library
  3. Criss Library News
  4. 2025
  5. 01
  6. American Civics Exhibit Opens in Criss Library

American Civics Exhibit Opens in Criss Library

The exhibit, American Civics: Could You Pass the Test?, is open through May 12, 2025, on the first floor of Criss Library.  

  • published: 2025/01/28
  • contact: Lori Schwartz - Archives and Special Collections
  • email: lschwartz@unomaha.edu
wooden and glass shelves with photos, clippings, and other ephemera about american civics
 Secretary Hagel and President Obama attend a ceremony commemorating the 9/11 attacks and honoring the fallen in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2014.

Secretary Hagel and President Obama attend a ceremony commemorating the 9/11 attacks and honoring the fallen in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2014.

two posters hanging on a glass wall with information about the american civics test

What is the “rule of law”? What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? Can you describe any of the four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote? When was the Constitution written? All of these are civics questions on the current U.S. naturalization test. Could YOU pass the test?

American Civics is the latest exhibit from the U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives in Archives and Special Collections. This display asks 45 questions from the civics portion of the U.S. naturalization test and uses items from the Hagel Archives, graphics, and books to answer the questions. The official answers are provided nearby for visitors to check their work.

Of the many things immigrants must do to become a U.S. citizen, they must pass the U.S. naturalization test covering American history and government. Prospective citizens are asked ten random questions from an official list of 100, and they must answer six correctly to pass. Making it more challenging, the test is an oral test, and the answers are NOT multiple choice as you see with practice tests available online.

This exhibit was created using the U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives. Chuck Hagel served as U.S. Senator from 1997 to 2009 and U.S. Secretary of Defense from 2013 to 2015. When he left the U.S. Senate, he donated his records to his alma mater, UNO. The exhibit was curated by Hagel and Technical Services Archivist Lori Schwartz with assistance in document selection and installation by graduate history student Mason Hartwell.

The exhibit is on display in Archives and Special Collections, located on the first floor of Criss Library. Criss Library is open to the public Monday - Thursday 7 A.M.- 10 P.M., Friday 7 A.M.- 5 P.M., Saturday 9 A.M. - 5 P.M., and Sunday noon - 10 P.M.  Archives and Special Collections is open to the public Monday - Friday, 9 A.M. - 5 P.M.

Records Available for Research  

 Hagel’s records are used for research, instruction, exhibits, and general interest. They cover legislative issues and topics of local, national and international prominence that arose from 1997 to 2009, including the Bill Clinton impeachment in 1998-1999, a contested presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore in 2000, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic downtown of 2007-2009, and disaster and drought assistance for rural areas.

Visitors may use the Hagel Archives in Archives and Special Collections, Monday-Friday 9am – 5pm, and view selected material online. Given this collection’s size, we recommend users contact archivists in advance for help in selecting material. However, we welcome people to stop in, ask about, and use the records at any time. Information is available at U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives. 

News Sections

  • Criss Library News Center
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured

  • Upcoming Changes to Library Collections, Services and Resources
  • Criss Library Announces Change in Saturday Hours during Summer
  • Textbook Mavericks Honoree for 2025: Dr. Jaci Lindburg, Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives
  • Gallery of Perspectives Exhibit Opens

Most Viewed

  • University of Nebraska Libraries Go Live with New Online Catalog/Discovery Tool
  • “Durango through the Decades” Exhibit Now Open in Criss Library

Contact Us

For more information about including events and announcements in the Criss Library News Center, email us at unocrisslibrary@unomaha.edu.

Unless otherwise clearly stated, any views or opinions expressed as part of events, exhibitors, or presenters in the UNO Libraries (Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library) should not be viewed as endorsements by the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and do not reflect the official position of UNO or the University of Nebraska system.


About Criss Library

Criss Library

Contact Us
  • Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
  • 6001 Dodge St.
  • Omaha, NE 68182   map
  • 402.554.3206
  • libanswers.unomaha.edu
Social media
Library Resources
  • My Account
  • Hours and Spaces
  • Research and Citation Guides
  • Creative Production Lab
Criss Library

Next Steps

  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)

Just For You

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List

Popular Services and Resources

  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • The Maverick Store
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence

Affiliates

  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • ©  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • MavsReport

Social Media


Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.