Civic Virtues and individual responsibilities

1. Civic Virtues and individual responsibilities In this slide show we will look at what civic virtues are and what the responsibilities of people are to work for the common good of the nation. You will be answering some difficult questions during the slide show and will be asking many questions as well.

2. What are civic virtues? • Civic virtues are the actions that society agrees helps create a better, more prosperous and cooperative nation. • These are actions that create respect and good manners among the people of a nation. • Civic virtues allow for healthy discussion of topics and ideas, with all opinions being equally valued. • Civic virtues are different for all nations. • However, some virtues are universal and are valued among all nations.

3. Individual Responsibility • Within a society, each person is required to live up to his or her responsibility of doing what is needed to make the nation better. • In our democracy, individuals have much freedom to choose what to do to meet their responsibilities. • In our democracy, people are encouraged to debate and disagree about what responsibilities they have to themselves and the nation as a whole.

4. What do you already know? • What civic virtues do Americans share? • How do Americans enforce these virtues? • What responsibilities do Americans have to their country? • Let’s take some time and discuss these questions.

5. Shared Virtues • Americans share many virtues such as independence, freedom, charity, self-sacrifice, self-reliance and patriotism. • Do these virtues seem to conflict with each other? Why or why not? • Which of these virtues is most important? Why?

6. Laws and ethical behavior • Americans enforce civic virtues by making laws which protect everyone’s individual rights. • Americans also expect people to be ethical, to act fairly and do the right thing. • Why do you think we need laws to protect us? • What would America be without laws? • Do laws protect everyone equally, or do some people seem to benefit more than others from our legal system?

7. Some tricky situations • Let’s discuss the following situation. Americans are not legally required to vote, yet it is a fundamental right. Some people feel that voting is the backbone of the American way of life. Do you think that everyone should have to vote or is it a choice? Why?

8. Another situation • Suppose a person is witness to a crime. Should that person report the crime? Is this a civic virtue? Why or why not?

9. One last situation • Flag burning is legal. Yet it is a symbol of our country. Do you think flag burning should be legal? Is it a civic virtue to honor the flag? Let’s talk about this.

10. Your opinion is important • Think about an issue that is important to your life. Discuss if it is a civic virtue with the class. • Here are some topics to get you thinking: cheating in school, freedom of expression in music or art, animal rights, health care, video game violence, school lunch, prayer in school, joining the armed forces, respecting the opinions of those you disagree with, taxes, minority rights, volunteering with an organization, etc.

11. Wrapping it up… • As you have seen, civic virtues and individual responsibility are complex ideas. What questions do you have about them? What more would you like to learn? How important are they to our society? Let’s talk about this together. • We will continue to learn more about these issues as we do some more activities.