Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship

1. Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship Chapter 5 Section 1

2. Responsibilities v. Duties • Each of us belongs to many communities. As community members, we have responsibilities–things we should do or obligations that we fulfill voluntarily. • We also have duties–things we are required to do.

3. Legal Duties • We must fulfill duties required by national, state, and local governments or face fines or imprisonment. • 5 Legal Duties

4. Duty #1: Obey the Law • Laws serve specific purposes, such as to help people get along, prevent accidents, and see that resources are used fairly.

5. Duty #2: Pay Taxes • Government uses tax money to pay police, pave roads, maintain armed forces, and other activities. • Income taxes are a percentage of what people earn • People also pay taxes on the sale of goods and services and on property.

8. Duty #3: Defend the Nation • In the United States, all men aged 18–25 must register with the government in case the country needs to draft, or call up, men for military service. • 30 days before or after your 18th birthday. • Service is currently voluntary. • Selective Service Website

9. Duty #4: Serve in Court • Every adult citizen must be prepared to serve on a jury or as a witness at a trial if called to do so. • Anyone who holds a drivers license or who is registered to vote can be randomly selected.

10. Duty #5: Attend School • Most states require young people to attend school until age 16. • How does staying in school benefit you and the government?

12. Civic Responsibilities:Be Informed • Know what the government is doing so that you can voice your opinion. • You can learn about issues and leaders by reading print publications, listening to news on the radio or TV, talking to people, and searching the Internet. • Fox News or CNN

13. Civic Responsibilities:Speak up and Vote • Government exists to serve you, but you must make your concerns known. • Call, write, or send e-mail to your elected representatives. Sen. Burr • Join a political party or work for a cause. • Above all, vote. Give consent to government. • Study candidates and issues before marking your ballot

14. Civic Responsibilities:Respect Others’ Rights • Respect public property and the property of others. • Vandalism and littering are not only disrespectful, but are also crimes.

15. Civic Responsibilities:Respect Diversity • Although you may disagree with people or disapprove of their lifestyles, they have an equal right to their beliefs and practices. • Tolerancemeans respecting and accepting others, regardless of their beliefs, practices, or differences. • All citizens are equal and entitled to be treated the same.

16. Civic Responsibilities:Contribute to the Common Good • Contribute time, effort, and money to help others and to improve community life. • Be an active participant in your community.

18. Discussion Question What do you think is the most important responsibility of citizens? Explain.

19. Review Which of the following is NOT a voluntary obligation of citizenship? • A. respect others’ rights • B. attend school • C. be informed • D. speak up and vote

20. Review Which of the following is NOT a legal duty of citizenship? • A. contribute to the common good • B. serve in court • C. defend the nation • D. pay taxes

21. Review Since the end of the Vietnam War, there has been no • A. standing army. • B. draft. • C. volunteer navy. • D. war tax.

22. Review Good citizens are concerned about the _________of the community. • A. status • B. welfare • C. opinion • D. wealth

23. Review How do Americans give their consent to the government? • A. obeying laws • B. volunteerism • C. jury duty • D. voting

24. Citizens and the community Section 2

25. Citizens Involvement • More than half a million Americans do volunteer work to help better their community • Federal, state, and local government provide many different services. Therefore we rely on government for a lot of things

26. Citizens Involvement • Citizens also share a role in meeting community needs. • The governments are bureaucracies= Complex systems with many departments, many rules, and many people in the chain of command.

27. Citizen Involvement • Good citizens are concerned about the Welfare of all members of the community • Welfare= The health, prosperity, and happiness of all members of a community. • JFK: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”

28. Donating Time and money • In what ways do you volunteer? • Volunteerism= the practice of offering your time and services to others without payment. • Americans gave more than $250 billion dollars to charity. 2% of their salary.

29. Community Involvement • Joining a community watch program. • Become active in their child’s school • Lions and Kiwanis clubs • Religious communities

30. Charitable Organizations • More than 1 million charities are officially registered with the federal government

31. School-based Programs • High school and middle school offers opportunities for community service. • Some states require that students do so many hours of community service in order to graduate.

32. National Service Programs • AmeriCorps= members help meet the nation’s needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. • Senior Corps= Provides volunteer opportunities to Americans aged 55 or older • USA Freedom Corps= Responds to national emergencies, rebuilding our communities, and extending American compassion throughout the world.