Territory
U.S. Naturalization Test (2025 Standard) glossary · Civics
Definition
Land belonging to the U.S. that is not a state (e.g., Puerto Rico, Guam).
Territory in plain English
A territory is land that belongs to the United States but isn't one of the 50 states, so it doesn't get the full set of powers a state has. Places like Puerto Rico and Guam are U.S. territories: the people there are often U.S. citizens, but they don't have voting representatives in Congress the way states do. Think of it like being part of a big family but not yet having a full seat at the dinner table. It matters because it explains why the U.S. is bigger than just its states.
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