Chapter 3: The meaning of citizenship

1. Chapter 3: The meaning of citizenship Social Science

2. Being a Citizen • A citizen is a person with certain rights and duties under a government • You are legally an American citizen if the following are true: • You were born in the United States or one of its territories • At least one of your parents was a United States citizen when you were born

3. Naturalization • An alien, or a citizen of one county who lives in another, can go through a process of being naturalized, or go through a process of naturalization, in order to become an American citizen • Must learn English, American History, and the values, laws, rights, and duties of American citizens • Naturalized citizens have all the rights of American citizens, except they can’t be President or Vice-President

4. The Power of the Citizen • Citizens have an important position of authority; they dictate what needs to be done, and what should be done, in society • Citizens elect representatives, or people who are chosen to speak and act for their fellow citizens in government, to represent the citizens and their needs • Power lasts for as long as the citizens want; if they want to change a representative, they can

5. Questions • Answer these questions to the best of your ability: • What does it mean to you to be a citizen of the United States? • How can you become a citizen of the United States? • Does being a citizen of the United States have its benefits or drawbacks? • If you were to become a citizen of any other country, which one would it be and why?

6. Rights and Duties of Citizens • Some of the rights American citizens have are: • Right to vote and hold office • Right to say or write what you want • Right to practice own religion • Right to have a fair trial • In return, citizens have duties, such as: • Obeying the laws • Defending the nation • Serving in a jury or as a witness in court • Paying taxes • Attending school

7. Citizen Duties Part I • A citizen must obey the laws of the land, whether they are the laws in a classroom or city, state, and federal laws • In a democracy, no individual, not even the President, is above the law, and officials must base their decisions on the law • The concept of a government of laws, rather than on men and women, is called the rule of law • Once you turn 18, you are required to register to military service, and you may voluntarily enlist in the armed forces • Those who register will only be called into service if there is a national emergency • Those who can not register because of religious reasons can enlist as a “conscientious objector”, and in this case, they can volunteer in another public domain

8. Citizens Duties Part II • A citizen is granted the right to a fair trial in front of a jury of peers, or a group of ordinary citizens who hear the case and decide whether the accused person is innocent or guilty • Citizens are required to serve in a jury at least once • Citizens also have the right and obligation, if they are asked, to serve as witnesses, or people who have seen events related to the crime or who have special information that may help determine the guilt or innocence of the person on trial

9. Citizens Duties Part III • Citizens are required to pay taxes once they have at least a part-time job or a bank account and an investment of some kind • Taxes go to raise money for services the government can perform for the public • Citizens are required to attend school, until the age of 16, in order to gain the knowledge needed to become a good American citizen • Schools are also required to give you the knowledge and skills you need in our society

10. Responsibilities of Citizens • Our responsibilities as citizens, even if they aren’t required by law, are just as important as our duties • The basic and foremost responsibility is to work for the common good, or the well-being of all members of society • Voting is one of our basic rights as citizens, and is one of our most important responsibilities because it allows us to choose who we want to represent us and who we want to lead us • Always important to be informed of the candidates and their causes • Those who are voted into office hold another responsibility of representing the people correctly and making the best decisions for them

11. Lending a Helping Hand • Another responsibility that you can participate in is by helping a candidate, or a person running for office, with their campaign • Holding signs, making phone calls to supporters, etc. • Another responsibility that you can participate in is by informing the government of a cause you strongly believe in and persuading them to take action for it • Sending letters to officials, speaking at city councils, etc. • One last responsibility that you can participate in is by helping out your local community by volunteering for organizations

12. Social Roles • We all play social roles, or roles that people play in real life • Are split into seven roles: • Friend • Consumer • Citizen • Family member • Student or worker • Social group member • Each social role behaves a certain way, determined by social expectations, how you want to play that role, and the kind of person you are • Certain behaves can carry over into other social roles, and behaviors may change over time • Social roles can overlap each other by acting the same way with multiple roles or by one role conflicting with others • The values we are taught can sometimes help us make a decision in order to end the conflict between social role

13. The Citizen Role • Some people put the citizen role on high priority, such as running for office or volunteering • Others may put less emphasis on the role, being satisfied with just being informed of issues • The goal for all in the citizen role is, however, to contribute to the common good • Like in all social roles, the choice to actively or inactively participate in the citizen role is yours