US History

Fort Burrows

8.5 -- Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

READ pgs 265 - 271

Main Idea:

Being an American citizen brings both RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES.

Vocabulary:

citizen - person who owes loyalty to a particular nation and is entitled to all its

rights and protections

naturalize - to complete the official process for becoming a citizen

immigrant - person who enters another country in order to settle there

resident alien - noncitizen living in the country

civic virtue - the willingness to work for the good of the nation or community even

at great sacrifice

patriotism - feeling of love and devotion toward one’s country

jury duty - the responsibility of every citizen to serve on a jury when called

Setting the Scene:

While he was in middle school, David Levitt of Seminole, Florida, read about an organization that collected leftover food from restaurants and donated it to the needy. This gave Levitt an idea. Why not start a similar program in his community?

He started by asking his principal if the school could donate leftover cafeteria food. Levitt went on to present his idea to the school board. A year later, at his bar mitzvah, *** What does bar mitzvah mean ? … he collected 500 pounds of canned goods from his guests. In time, the food program expanded across Florida and led to passage of a new state law.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush called David Levitt a “big-hearted… young man blessed with a strong desire to help others.” But Levitt insisted that all young people had the power to get things done:

“You have to use your age as an advantage. In government, adults face

people who complain and ask for things. It’s such a change of pace

to hear someone say, ‘We can do this.’ ” David Levitt, American Profile

The framers of the Constitution planned our government carefully. Yet, a good constitution alone is not enough. To safeguard our democratic republic, each of us must exercise our rights and fulfill our responsibilities as citizens.

What Is a Citizen ?

a person who owes loyalty to a particular nation and is entitled to allits rights and protections

U The Three requirements

  1. you were born in US
  2. you werenaturalized – completed the official legal process
  3. 18 or younger when your parents were naturalized

U Becoming a Citizen

* millions of immigrants have become naturalized citizens

* Naturalized citizens enjoy every right of a natural-born citizen except one –

they may not serve as President or VP

What are the Steps to Becoming a Citizen of the Unites States ?

1. ______

2. ______

*______

*______

3. ______

*______

*______

4. ______

“I hereby declare, on oath, that… I will support and defend the

Constitution and the laws of the United States against all enemies…

that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same… so help me GOD”

Abbreviated version of the Oathof Allegiance to the United States

Becoming an American Citizen is not easy. But for immigrants, the benefits of freedom and opportunity make it worth the effort. Could you pass the Citizenship Test ?

1. How many stripes are there on our flag ? ______

2. What country did we fight during the Revolutionary War ? ______

3. Who elects the President of the United States ? ______

______

4. What are the duties of the Supreme Court ? ______

______

5. What are the 3 branches of our government ? ______

______

6. How many Senators are there in Congress ? ______

7. For how long do we elect each Senator ? ______

8. Who said, “Give me liberty or give me death” ? ______

9. How many terms can the President serve ? ______

10. Who is Commander in Chief of the United States military ? ______

______

U Rights and Responsibilities

* we have the right to speak freely, to worship as you choose, to own

property, to travel where you want to go, and to have a fair trial

* however, NOTHING is FREE

* to enjoy these rights, we must accept the responsibilities and work to

develop a sense of democratic values

Civic Virtue and Democratic Values

S Founding Fathers admired civic virtue

S Washington and Jefferson put the common good ahead of their own wishes

S values that are the foundation of the democratic system:

  1. Honesty
  2. Compassion

  1. Patriotism
/ Feeling of love and devotion toward one’s country
  1. Respect
/ For ourselves, families, neighbors, community, property, laws
  1. Responsibility
/ Public or personal-for ourselves and consequences of our actions
  1. Courage
/ Physical or moral-moral courage enables us to do the right thing even when it is unpopular, difficult or dangerous (Lincoln/MLK)

“Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country.” Calvin Coolidge, 30th President

“ What we need are critical lovers of America – patriots who express their faith in their country by working to improve it.”

Hubert H Humphrey,36th Vice President with LBJ

¿¿ Why are developing Democratic values an important citizen responsibility ?

______.

Responsibilities of a Citizen

A Voting

* we have the right to select the people who will represent us in government

* we must fulfill that right by voting

* a good citizen studies the candidates/issues to make responsible choices

A Obeying the Law

* we have a duty to obey the nation’s laws

* laws keep us from hurting others, regulate contracts, protect citizen’s right

A Defending the Nation

* Americans have duty to help defend the nation against threats to its peace

and security

* at 18, all men register for the draft to serve in the armed forces during war

* many citizens feel the duty to enlist in the military without being called

A Serving on a Jury – Jury Duty

* Bill of Rights guarantees the right to trial by jury

* every citizen has the responsibility to serve on a jury

* Jurors take time out of the work/personal lives to decide the fate of others

A Serving the Community

* many Americans offer their time and talents to help others or improve

their community

* many participate in charity events or volunteer at hospitals / nursing homes

A Being Informed

“ If a nation expects to be ignorant and free…it expects what never was

and never will be” Thomas Jefferson

* you cannot protect your rights as a citizen unless you know what they are

* it is your responsibility to be informed by watching TV, reading the

papers, magazines or government pamphlets

* your work in school will help you become educated about our history, our

government, and the workings of our society

1. What makes a person a citizen of the United States ?

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

2. How can an American develop democratic values ?

______.

3. What are the responsibilities of citizenship ?

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

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