Citizenship test guide
Pledge of Allegiance meaning: click each phrase to see what it says
The Pledge of Allegiance is on the US citizenship civics test. Choose any phrase to see what it means in plain English, learn how the Pledge changed since 1892, and practice the test questions.
Start practicing →The Pledge, phrase by phrase
Choose a phrase above to see what it means.
This is the text in federal law, 4 U.S.C. section 4. You do not need to memorize it for the test. You need to know what it is, and that it is a promise of loyalty.
All the phrases explained
- I pledge allegiance
- "I pledge" means "I promise." "Allegiance" means loyalty. The speaker promises to be loyal.
- to the Flag of the United States of America
- The flag is a symbol of the whole country: its people, its laws and its ideas. Civics test question 66 asks what we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge.
- and to the Republic
- A republic is a government in which the people choose representatives to make laws for them. The United States has a republic. Voters choose the President, members of Congress and many other leaders.
- for which it stands
- The flag is not the republic itself. It stands for the republic, like a sign that points to something larger.
- one Nation
- Fifty states and many territories share one national government. The United States is one country.
- under God
- Congress added these words in 1954. People understand them in different ways. Americans have many religions and some have none, and the Constitution protects the freedom to believe or not. In 1943 the Supreme Court decided that public schools cannot force students to say the Pledge.
- indivisible
- "Indivisible" means that cannot be divided. The words say the country stays together.
- with liberty
- "Liberty" means freedom. The Declaration of Independence names liberty as a right, and the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, the press and assembly.
- and justice for all
- "Justice" means fair treatment under the law. "For all" means for everyone, not only for some people.
How the Pledge changed
- 1892
Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, wrote the Pledge. A children's magazine, The Youth's Companion, published it on September 8, 1892, as part of a campaign to put a flag in every school. The first version read: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Congressional Record: the Pledge of Allegiance - 1923
A national flag conference changed "my Flag" to "the Flag of the United States of America." People at the conference worried that new immigrants might think "my flag" meant the flag of their birth country.
Senate Q and A on the Pledge of Allegiance - 1943
In West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, the Supreme Court decided that public schools cannot make students salute the flag or say the Pledge. Saying the Pledge is a choice.
Supreme Court: West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette - 1954
Congress added the words "under God."
Senate Q and A on the Pledge of Allegiance - Today
Federal law gives the Pledge in its present form. It says to stand facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. People in uniform stay silent, face the flag and salute.
US Code, title 4, section 4: the Pledge of Allegiance
To see how the flag itself changed, read the history of the American flag.
Citizenship test questions on this topic
These civics test questions connect to the Pledge and the flag. Each one links to the answers USCIS accepts.
- What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
- Name two promises that new citizens make in the Oath of Allegiance.
- Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- Why does the flag have 50 stars?
WelcomeOath asks every question out loud and brings back the ones you still miss. The first three lessons are free. See all 128 questions.
Questions people ask
What does the Pledge of Allegiance mean?
It is a promise of loyalty to the flag and to the republic the flag stands for: one nation, with liberty and justice for everyone. This page explains each phrase in plain English.
Who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance?
Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, wrote it in 1892. It was first published in a children's magazine, The Youth's Companion. Congress added "under God" in 1954.
Do I have to say the Pledge of Allegiance?
No. In 1943 the Supreme Court decided in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette that public schools cannot force students to salute the flag or say the Pledge.
Is the Pledge the same as the Oath of Allegiance?
No. The Oath of Allegiance is the promise a person makes at a naturalization ceremony to become a citizen. The Pledge of Allegiance is a different, shorter promise to the flag. The citizenship test asks what we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge, and what new citizens promise in the Oath.
Why was "my flag" changed to "the Flag of the United States of America"?
In 1923 a national flag conference made the change because people worried that new immigrants might think "my flag" meant the flag of the country where they were born.
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