1 / 20

What it means to be a citizen

What it means to be a citizen. Who is a Citizen?. A person who by birth or choice owes allegiance to a nation You are born in the US or a territory At least 1 of your parents was a US citizen when you were born. You have been naturalized (gone through citizenship process)

ogden
Download Presentation

What it means to be a citizen

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. What it means to be a citizen

  2. Who is a Citizen? • A person who by birth or choice owes allegiance to a nation • You are born in the US or a territory • At least 1 of your parents was a US citizen when you were born • You have been naturalized (gone through citizenship process) • You were under 18 when parents were naturalized

  3. If you come to the US from another to country to live you are considered an alien. • Alien: Citizen from one country who lives in another country • As an alien you have many of the same rights as regular citizens • Can’t vote or hold government office

  4. The Office of Citizen • Abraham Lincoln “ ours is a government by the people, and for the people.” • Our government can make laws, build roads and bridges, tax, fight wars, make agreemtns with other countries, but only if the citizens want to. • As citizens we elect representatives, people who are chosen to speak and act for their fellow citizens.

  5. Who is elected? • President • Congress • City Council • School Board • Mayor • Judges

  6. Rights of citizens • Right to vote and hold elected office • Right to say what you think in speech and writing • Right to practice your own religion • Right to a fair trial • Right to be protected by your government when you are working or traveling in other countries

  7. Ideas on Rights • Rights in the US are based on American beliefs of: equal respect, freedom, equality, and justice • Our rights are guaranteed by our Constitution and protected by laws and our courts.

  8. Duties of Citizens • Obeying the laws • Defending the nation • Serving on a jury or as a witness in court • Paying taxes • Attending school

  9. Obeying the laws • We have rules and laws to keep society running in an orderly way • Some laws are there to prevent us from hurting each other • Some laws establish rules for making agreements and settling disagreements in a fair way • We must obey laws to that protect citizens rights • Equal opprotunity

  10. Too many laws • It is impossible to know all laws in your city, state, nation • It is up to you to know the laws that affect your life and your actions. • Ignorance of the law is no excuse

  11. Defending the Nation • Helping our country defend itself against threats to our peace and security is another important duty of citizens • US maintains armed services during peacetime • When you are 18 or older you may volunteer to serve in the military • Young men must register for military service when they turn 18 • Doesn’t mean they will serve, but in a national emergency they could be drafted to serve

  12. Serving on a Jury or Witness • Basic right is right to a fair trial • Innocent until proven guilty • No person may be found guilty unless there is beyond reasonable doubt • Constitution guarantees the right to trial by jury • Witness in a case

  13. Paying taxes • Income taxes • Sales taxes • Property taxes • Through taxes out government raises money to pay for the services that it provides to the nation

  14. Attending School • Required to attend from 5 or 6 to at least 16 • School attendance laws • Schools are to make sure students have the knowledge and skills to succeed in life and be a good citizen

  15. The Common Good • Basic responsibility of all citizens is to contribute to the common good • Acting in ways that protect the rights and freedoms of other Americans and to make our communities, states, and nation a good place to live • Voting (voting wisely)

  16. Holding Government Office • Elected officials have accepted the responsibility of learning about the issues and trying to make decisions that are in the peoples best interests

  17. Election campaigns • Carry campaign signs at a rally • Putting signs in your yard • Stuffing envelopes • Making phone calls

  18. Influencing Government • Influencing government is another way to fulfill the “office of citizen” • Right letters to government officials/put in newspapers • Speak at city council • Join or create organizations with the goal of influencing government

  19. Serving the Community • Not all responsibilities of people are connected with the government • Each of us are responsible to make our communities the best places possible

More Related