PRAXISCode: 5087Citizenship Education📜 NCSS Aligned🏛 PA History Tested
Praxis® Citizenship Education:
Content Knowledge (5087)
Practice Test & Study Guide
Comprehensive preparation for secondary citizenship education teachers — covering all 5 official content categories across U.S. History, World History, Government/Civics, Geography, and Economics, aligned to NCSS National Standards.
90
Questions
2 hrs
Time limit
Varies
Passing score*
5
Content areas
$130
Exam fee
4.9 · 12,400
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Explanation for every question
Domain-level score breakdown
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Pennsylvania history is specifically and uniquely tested on this exam.Topic U under United States History covers major developments in Pennsylvania history, key historical figures and their contributions until 1824 (William Penn, Benjamin Franklin), major Pennsylvania historical sites (Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh), and the history of Pennsylvania's ethnic groups. No other Praxis social studies exam tests state-specific history.
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At least 40% of questions require higher-order thinking — not just recall. No more than 60% of questions are knowledge/recall/recognition questions. The remaining 40%+ require applying, analyzing, interpreting, or evaluating information. Some questions involve interpreting maps, charts, graphs, tables, cartoons, diagrams, and photographs. Between 10–15% of questions address diverse experiences related to gender, culture, race, or content from Latin America, Africa, Asia, or Oceania.
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Source: All exam details are drawn from the official ETS Praxis Citizenship Education (5087) Study Companion. The exam aligns to NCSS National Standards for Social Studies teachers. Passing scores vary by state — always confirm at ets.org/praxis/states.
Praxis Citizenship Education: Content Knowledge (5087) — Test at a Glance
Key facts directly from the official ETS test specifications.
Test name
Citizenship Ed: CK
Praxis Subject Assessment
Test code
5087
Computer-delivered
Total questions
120
All selected-response
Time limit
2 hrs
120 minutes
Registration fee
$130
Paid to ETS
Passing score
Varies
By state/agency
Score reporting
~5 wks
After test date
Higher-order questions
≥40%
Not just recall
About the Praxis Citizenship Education: Content Knowledge (5087) Exam
What you need to know before you register.
The Praxis Citizenship Education: Content Knowledge (5087) is designed to determine whether an examinee has the knowledge and skills necessary for a beginning teacher of citizenship education in a secondary school. The test is aligned to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) National Standards for Social Studies teachers.
The exam requires understanding and applying knowledge, concepts, methodologies, and skills across five social studies fields: United States history, world history, government/civics/political science, geography, and economics. A number of questions are interdisciplinary, reflecting the complex relationships among these fields — answering them requires integrating knowledge across multiple content areas.
A distinctive feature of the exam's design: no more than 60% of questions are knowledge, recall, or recognition questions — meaning at least 40% require higher-order thinking such as interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and application. Some questions require interpreting materials such as maps, charts, graphs, tables, cartoons, diagrams, and photographs.
Between 10 and 15% of questions contain content reflecting the diverse experiences of people in the United States related to gender, culture, and/or race, or content relating to Latin America, Africa, Asia, or Oceania. Pennsylvania history is a specifically tested topic within the United States History category — the only Praxis social studies exam to test state-specific history content.
Question Design and Format
Understanding the exam's question design — not just the content categories — is essential for effective preparation.
≤60%
Knowledge & Recall
Recognizing facts, definitions, terms, key figures, dates, and foundational concepts across all five content areas.
≥40%
Higher-Order Thinking
Applying, analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing historical and social science knowledge — including interdisciplinary questions.
Some
Stimulus-Based
Interpreting maps, charts, graphs, tables, political cartoons, diagrams, and photographs to answer questions based on presented materials.
10–15%
Diversity Content
Questions reflecting diverse U.S. experiences (gender, culture, race) or content from Latin America, Africa, Asia, or Oceania.
Official Exam Blueprint: 5 Content Categories
The official ETS blueprint defines 5 content categories. Three are equally weighted at 22%; Geography and Economics are each 17%. Pennsylvania history is uniquely embedded within Category I.
Category I ⭐ PA History Included
United States History
Pre-Columbian North America through contemporary history — including colonization, Revolution, Constitution, Civil War, Reconstruction, industrialization, immigration, Progressive Era, New Deal, WWI and WWII, Cold War, civil rights, and social change. Uniquely includes Pennsylvania history (Topic U) — figures, sites, and ethnic history through 1824 and beyond.
22%
~27 questions
Category II
World History
Classical civilizations (Greece, Rome, Persia, India, China) through the modern era — Renaissance, Enlightenment, exploration and colonization, revolutions and nationalism, imperialism, WWI and WWII, Cold War, decolonization, globalization. Includes roles of major world religions, trade, technological innovation, demographic trends, and political ideologies.
22%
~27 questions
Category III
Government / Civics / Political Science
Political theory (major theorists, political orientations); U.S. government (constitutional underpinnings, federalism, branches, civil liberties and rights, political parties, interest groups, media); comparative politics and international relations (forms of government, regime types, electoral systems, foreign policy, international organizations, international law).
22%
~27 questions
Category IV
Geography
Map types and projections; spatial data analysis; physical processes and climate patterns; Earth's ecosystems; human-environment interrelationships; renewable and nonrenewable resources; cultural and economic spatial patterns; migration and settlement; agriculture and globalization; demographic patterns; political geography (borders, state formation, areas of conflict).
17%
~19–20 questions
Category V
Economics
Microeconomics: scarcity, opportunity cost, supply and demand, market efficiency, role of government (taxes, subsidies, price controls), distribution of income, personal finance, behavior of firms. Macroeconomics: GDP, unemployment, inflation, business cycles, aggregate demand/supply, fiscal policy, monetary policy, Federal Reserve, banking, international trade, exchange rates, economic growth.
17%
~19–20 questions
Key Topics by Content Category
Focus your study on these specific competencies — drawn directly from the official ETS content specifications and NCSS standards.
IUnited States History~27 questions · 22%
Pre-Columbian North America: basic geography, peoples, and cultures; Native American migration and settlement patterns before European contact
European colonization: Spanish, French, and English colonies; founding and development; economic factors attracting Europeans; interactions among European, African, and Native American peoples
American Revolution: origins, causes, and impact on founding; Declaration of Independence and its principles; Articles of Confederation
U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights: context for writing and adoption; major debates (Great Compromise, Three-Fifths Compromise, federalist vs. anti-federalist arguments); impact on political development
Territorial expansion: causes and consequences of westward expansion; Manifest Destiny; economic impact; effect on Native American-U.S. relations
19th-century sectionalism, Civil War, and Reconstruction: causes, events, and impacts; abolitionism; Emancipation Proclamation (freed slaves in areas still in rebellion); successes and failures of Reconstruction
Industrialization, urbanization, immigration (late 19th–early 20th c.): push-pull factors; labor and technology changes; immigration quota legislation (1924 Act — reduced quotas sharply)
Progressive Era through New Deal: reform movements (Susan B. Anthony, W.E.B. Du Bois, Robert La Follette); populism vs. progressivism; New Deal successes and failures; Roosevelt coalition (African American and urban Northern voters shifted to Democrats)
U.S. in World Wars: causes of participation in WWI and WWII; home front effects (women in workforce increased substantially during WWII); Cold War origins, development, and domestic consequences
Post-WWII developments: Eisenhower and the interstate highway system; Cold War events (Korea, Vietnam — Gulf of Tonkin Resolution as legal basis for escalation); counterculture; rise of conservatism
Race, gender, ethnicity, religion: their ongoing impact throughout American history; struggles and achievements for greater political and civil rights; immigration patterns and internal migration
🏛 Pennsylvania history (unique to this exam): Major developments; William Penn and Benjamin Franklin as historical figures through 1824; major sites (Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh); history of Pennsylvania's ethnic groups
IIWorld History~27 questions · 22%
Classical civilizations (1000 B.C.E.–500 C.E.): Greece, Rome, Persia, India, China — organization, interactions; Greek democracy and citizenship and their influence on modern democracies; rise and fall of the Roman Empire
Transformation of classical civilizations (300–1400 C.E.): invasions, trade, spread of religions; Byzantine Christianity converting Russians in 10th century; role of Islam in Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia; Crusades
European Renaissance through Enlightenment: major political, social, economic developments; Reformation; Scientific Revolution; how Enlightenment ideas influenced American, French, and Haitian Revolutions
Global interactions (1200–1750 C.E.): trade, exploration, and colonization; biological causes and effects; Mesoamerican cultures and European contact; Islam spreading to Indonesia through commercial contacts
Revolutions, nationalism, imperialism (1750–1914): American, French, and Latin American revolutions; Industrial Revolution origins and effects; Western nationalism and imperialism; First Opium War (China forced to open ports)
WWI and WWII causes: military buildup and rigid alliance system led to WWI; Russian Revolution; decolonization; totalitarianism emerging after WWI; comparing Russian, Mexican, and Chinese revolutions
Cold War and post-Cold War: ideological, economic, and political causes and consequences; Cold War = U.S.-Soviet struggle for political hegemony; collapse of Soviet Union; growth of globalized economy; rise of fundamentalism and nationalism
Role of world religions in shaping societies and historical turning points; role of trade and economic exchange within and between societies
Major political ideologies: totalitarianism, liberalism, nationalism — their influence on social organization; comparative government structures
Economic transformations: spread of market economy; industrialization; global division of labor; contemporary patterns of globalization and development
Technological innovations and adaptations shaping world societies; demographic trends and their effects on world history
Cultural contributions: Islamic civilization's influence on mathematics during the Crusades era; Confucian worldview emphasizing proper behavior for social/political harmony; family structure and gender roles across societies
IIIGovernment / Civics / Political Science~27 questions · 22%
Political theory: major concepts; contributions of theorists (Locke, Hobbes, Montesquieu); Hobbes and Locke both agreed on government authority arising from a social contract; political orientations (liberal, conservative)
U.S. constitutional underpinnings: separation of powers; checks and balances; federalism defined as the division of a country's power into national and subnational units (not just branches)
Federalism concepts: concurrent powers (e.g., levying taxes — shared by federal and state governments); exclusive federal powers (printing money, declaring war, naturalization)
Powers and structure of national institutions: bicameralism and legislative power; differences between the two chambers; presidential powers; regulatory agencies and independent commissions
Landmark Supreme Court cases: Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, Brown v. Board of Education, Miranda v. Arizona — constitutional interpretations and their significance
Civil liberties and civil rights: their development through Supreme Court decisions and legislation; how Congress influences the federal bureaucracy (appropriating funds — not appointing agency heads)
Political beliefs and behaviors: influence of race, gender, class, and age on public opinion; factors contributing to low voter turnout (voter registration requirements — not party strength)
Political parties, interest groups, and mass media: their roles in the U.S. political process; amicus curiae briefs (filed to influence the outcome of a Supreme Court case)
Comparative politics: major differences between parliamentary and presidential systems; forms of government; major regime types (democracy, autocracy); how electoral systems affect political parties
International relations: theories (realism, liberalism); foreign policy approaches (isolationism, multilateralism); conflict, cooperation, and diplomacy; challenges facing international organizations
International law and organizations: power and problems of international organizations; international law enforcement challenges
Role of the United States as a world power: emergence and evolving global role; foreign policy decision-making processes
IVGeography~19–20 questions · 17%
Map types and projections: reading and interpreting maps; map scales; acquiring, organizing, and analyzing spatial information; mental maps for spatial organization
Spatial patterns: population density, literacy rates, infant mortality at different scales; spatial concepts (location, place, region) — formal, functional, and perceptual regions
Functional regions: defined by a central point and connections around it (e.g., Atlanta as Delta hub = functional region)
Sources of geographic data: Census Bureau, Population Reference Bureau, statistical databases; interpreting population pyramids
Physical processes: climate patterns (effects of latitude, ocean currents, winds, mountains, elevation, proximity to water); natural hazards; earthquake locations (tectonic plate boundaries)
Earth's ecosystems: characteristics and spatial distribution; human-environment interrelationships; environmental impacts of human activity
Natural resources: renewable and nonrenewable resources; changes in use and distribution; resource management including water scarcity and its historical/economic effects
Cultural and economic spatial patterns: ethnic, linguistic, and religious distribution; major canals (Panama and Suez) and their economic, political, and cultural effects
Migration and settlement: patterns of internal and international migration; urban and rural settlement patterns; U.S. regional population growth in the 20th and 21st centuries
Agricultural development: genetically modified crops, agribusiness, biotechnologies; changing nature of agriculture
Globalization and development: contemporary patterns of industrialization; global division of labor (e.g., U.S. footwear companies using inexpensive labor in Asia = global division of labor)
Political geography: borders and state formation; contemporary areas of conflict; demographic patterns (composition, density, distribution) and demographic change
VEconomics~19–20 questions · 17%
Microeconomics foundations: scarcity and opportunity cost; production possibilities curves; factors of production; circular flow of income model; comparative advantage and gains from trade
Supply and demand: laws of supply and demand; market price determination; market adjustments to shifts; price elasticity of demand and its relationship to total revenue
Government in markets: taxes and their market effects; subsidies; price floors (help sellers, create surpluses) and price ceilings; regulatory role of government
Tax structures: progressive (higher income = higher rate), regressive (higher income = lower effective rate), proportional (flat rate); identifying which applies to a given scenario
Costs and production: total, fixed, variable, average, and marginal costs; law of diminishing returns; explicit vs. implicit costs
Market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, oligopoly — characteristics and government regulation of monopolies
Labor markets: determinants of labor demand; market price of labor; effects of minimum wage on wages and employment; why incomes differ
GDP and macroeconomic measurement: components of GDP; price indices and inflation; measuring unemployment (and how the unemployment rate overstates or understates joblessness); types of unemployment
Business cycles and stabilization: aggregate demand and supply; causes of recessions and booms; equilibrium GDP; fiscal policy (most expansionary = increase spending AND decrease taxes)
Money and banking: three functions of money; measures of money supply; Federal Reserve functions and tools (open-market operations, reserve requirements, discount rate); banks and money creation
Monetary and fiscal policy: appropriate policies for inflation, recession, and stagflation; expansionary vs. contractionary approaches; role of Federal Reserve in economic regulation
International trade: why nations trade; gains from trade; trade barriers and their impacts; protectionist policies; exchange rates; balance of payments; relationship between net exports and currency value
Pennsylvania History — A Unique Feature of This Exam
Topic U under United States History is specific to the Citizenship Education exam. No other Praxis social studies assessment tests state-level history content.
PAMajor Developments in Pennsylvania HistoryEmbedded in Category I — US History
Major political, social, cultural, and economic developments throughout Pennsylvania history — from colonial founding through contemporary period
Major historical figures and their contributions to Pennsylvania history until 1824: William Penn (founder, Quaker principles, religious tolerance) and Benjamin Franklin (Founding Father, diplomat, inventor, publisher)
Major historical sites in Pennsylvania: Gettysburg (Civil War battlefield and site of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address), Philadelphia (birthplace of U.S. independence, Constitution), and Pittsburgh (industrial history, labor movements)
History of Pennsylvania's ethnic groups: contributions and histories of the diverse communities that settled in Pennsylvania from colonial through modern times
This content is specific to the 5087 Citizenship Education exam — Pennsylvania history appears on this test because this assessment is primarily used for teacher certification in Pennsylvania. If you are testing for certification in a different state, Pennsylvania history is still included in the exam content and may appear in scored questions.
Registration, Test Day & Scoring
Everything you need to know before and on exam day.
Registration
Where to registerpraxis.ets.org
Exam fee$130
Testing formatsIn-person or remote
ID required2 forms of valid ID
Arrive (in-person)30 min early
Scoring
Score typeScaled score
Raw score basisCorrect answers only
Passing scoreVaries by state
Results available~5 weeks post-test
State requirementsets.org/praxis/states
In-Person Testing
Test centersPrometric locations
Personal itemsStored in locker
Scratch paperProvided at station
Admission ticketPrint from ETS account
Remote Testing
Browser requiredETS Secure Test Browser
DeviceLaptop or desktop only
Equipment neededWebcam, mic, speakers
Proctor typeLive remote proctor
Passing Score Requirements by State
The Praxis Citizenship Education (5087) is used primarily for secondary social studies and citizenship education teacher certification.
Important: Passing score requirements are set individually by each state or licensing agency and vary across jurisdictions. Always verify the exact passing score for your state at ets.org/praxis/states before registering.
Your raw score (number of correct answers) is converted to a scaled score. There is no penalty for wrong answers — always answer every question. Some questions are unscored pretest items that you cannot identify, so treat every question equally. Because at least 40% of questions require higher-order thinking, strong performance requires more than memorization — practice applying and analyzing content across interdisciplinary contexts.
How to Prepare for the Praxis Citizenship Education Exam
Strategies aligned to the exam's 5-category breadth, higher-order thinking requirement, stimulus-based questions, and Pennsylvania history content.
- Three categories are equally weighted at 22% each — they account for 66% of the exam. United States History, World History, and Government/Civics/Political Science are each worth approximately 27 questions. If you have limited study time, focus here first. A strong command of these three areas alone puts you in a competitive position before you even touch Geography and Economics.
- Study Pennsylvania history separately — it's uniquely tested and easily overlooked. Topic U under United States History specifically tests Pennsylvania content. Know William Penn's founding principles and role (religious tolerance, Quaker governance), Benjamin Franklin's contributions through 1824, and the historical significance of Gettysburg (Civil War and Lincoln's address), Philadelphia (Constitutional Convention, Declaration of Independence), and Pittsburgh (industrial and labor history). This content does not appear on any other Praxis social studies exam.
- At least 40% of questions require analysis, interpretation, or evaluation — practice with primary sources. The exam explicitly limits recall questions to no more than 60%. Practice interpreting political cartoons, reading maps and graphs, analyzing population data, evaluating economic scenarios, and drawing conclusions from charts and diagrams. The ETS Study Companion's 29 sample questions are heavily weighted toward this style — work through them all with the answer explanations.
- Master the key Government/Civics distinctions that appear in sample questions. Several specific concepts appear directly in sample questions from the Study Companion: federalism = division of power into national and subnational units (not just branches); concurrent powers = levying taxes; a price floor helps sellers and creates surpluses; the most expansionary fiscal policy = increasing spending AND decreasing taxes simultaneously; amicus curiae briefs = filed to influence the outcome of a case; low voter turnout = driven by voter registration requirements.
- Know interdisciplinary connections across all five fields. A number of exam questions deliberately span multiple content areas — for example, a geography question about population density may require economic reasoning, or a U.S. history question may require understanding international relations theory. As you study each category, note where it intersects with others: economic causes of historical events, geographic factors in political boundaries, demographic trends in social history.
- For Economics, master both micro and macro topics equally. Category V (17%) covers both microeconomics (supply/demand, tax structures, market failures, firm behavior) and macroeconomics (GDP, inflation, unemployment, fiscal and monetary policy, international trade). Know how to identify progressive vs. regressive vs. proportional tax systems from rate scenarios, and know the Federal Reserve's three main policy tools. These are the most commonly tested economics application questions.
- Use a historical atlas alongside your content review for Geography and World History. The ETS Study Companion explicitly recommends using a globe or world map for World History review. For Geography, practice reading population pyramids, identifying functional vs. formal vs. perceptual regions, and interpreting precipitation maps. Questions like "the southeast of China receives the most precipitation" (true) require map-reading skill, not memorization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers sourced directly from the official ETS Praxis Citizenship Education (5087) Study Companion.
How many questions are on the Praxis Citizenship Education (5087)?+
The exam contains 120 selected-response questions with a 2-hour time limit. Questions span 5 content categories: United States History (22%, ~27 questions), World History (22%, ~27 questions), Government/Civics/Political Science (22%, ~27 questions), Geography (17%, ~19–20 questions), and Economics (17%, ~19–20 questions).
Does the Praxis Citizenship Education exam test Pennsylvania history?+
Yes. Pennsylvania history is a specifically tested topic (Topic U) within the United States History category. Content includes major developments in Pennsylvania history, key figures until 1824 (William Penn, Benjamin Franklin), major historical sites (Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh), and the history of Pennsylvania's ethnic groups. This is unique to the 5087 exam — no other Praxis social studies assessment tests state-specific history.
What percentage of questions require higher-order thinking?+
At least 40% of questions require higher-order thinking — analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and application of knowledge. No more than 60% are knowledge, recall, or recognition questions. Some questions require interpreting maps, charts, graphs, tables, cartoons, diagrams, and photographs.
What standards is the Praxis Citizenship Education exam aligned to?+
The exam is aligned to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) National Standards for Social Studies teachers. It is designed for beginning teachers of citizenship education in secondary schools.
What content categories are on the Praxis Citizenship Education (5087)?+
The exam covers 5 official content categories: (I) United States History — 22%, ~27 questions; (II) World History — 22%, ~27 questions; (III) Government/Civics/Political Science — 22%, ~27 questions; (IV) Geography — 17%, ~19–20 questions; (V) Economics — 17%, ~19–20 questions.
Are there interdisciplinary questions on the Praxis Citizenship Education exam?+
Yes. A number of questions are interdisciplinary, reflecting the complex relationships among the social studies fields. Answering them correctly requires knowing, interpreting, and integrating history and social science facts and concepts across multiple content areas.
How much does the Praxis Citizenship Education exam cost?+
The registration fee is $130, paid directly to ETS at praxis.ets.org.
When will I receive my Praxis Citizenship Education scores?+
Official score reports are typically available approximately five weeks after your test date. Scores are posted to your ETS account and sent to any institutions you designated at registration.
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Adaptive questions aligned to all 5 official ETS content categories — including stimulus-based and higher-order thinking questions. Domain-level analytics so you know exactly where to focus.
Get Free Access — No Credit Card NeededSources: ETS Praxis Citizenship Education: Content Knowledge (5087) Study Companion (official PDF, praxis.ets.org); National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) National Standards for Social Studies; ETS Praxis Test Schedule 2025–26. Praxis® is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS). This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS or NCSS. Passing score requirements vary by state — always verify at ets.org/praxis/states.
Last Updated: May 22, 2026