2120. Lesson 6 Page 21 Essential Concept: Citizenship The Meaning of Citizenship

2120

Lesson 6 Page 21Essential Concept: Citizenship

The Meaning of Citizenship

R21 LEARNING TARGET:

I can describe the characteristics of a citizen.

loyalty citizenship citizen

VOCAB Key Vocabulary to add to Flashcard List (8-13)

Lesson 6: Essential Concept – Citizenship – The Meaning of Citizenship

alien naturalization dual citizenship

As a person living alone in your own house,what is your main focus or concern?

WARM UP

When you move from living alone to living in a group,living with others,

WHAT CHANGES?

YOURSELFYour own self interest

You only have YOURSELF too

BUT

Need to BALANCE your own self interest with the needs of the group.


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Think about what loyalty means in your own life.

To whom and to what are you loyal?

Your family?

Perhaps you belong to a club, team, or other organization to which you feel loyalty.

FAITHFULNESS(devotion, affection, and attachment)

to a person or a cause

Friends?


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Attach the Reading on

“What Does It Mean to

Be a Citizen?”

What Does It Mean to Be a Citizen?

Your answer to this question may differ as well as be similar to others in this class and country. As we begin to look into this question, we need to compare two different situations. When people live alone, their focus or major concern is their own well being and they act out of self-interest. This is true because by being alone they have no one else around to either assist them or worry about. However, when people come together into groups or communities, an important change takes place. In addition to their own individual needs and wants, they also need to consider the common needs and welfare of the entire group.

Perhaps you belong to a club, team, or other organization to which you feel loyal. Loyalty, or allegiance, means devotion, affection, and attachment. Loyalty binds the group together. Loyalty to your country is also the basis of citizenship. A citizen is a person who:

owes allegiance to a government is entitled to government protection in exchange for that allegiance has certain rights and privileges, as well as responsibilities, that come with citizenship.

Citizenship is a contract or agreement in which both parties provide something. The citizen provides loyalty. The government provides protection and guarantees rights. Therefore, a citizen is a person who owes allegiance (loyalty) to a government and who is entitled to government protection. As a citizen, you are a member of a society – a community bound together by common interests and standards. Do you belong to a club or team? As a member of that group, you agree to follow its rules. Why? Groups, as well as societies, need to maintain order and protect the rights of everyone. In the same way, you must obey the laws of the country.

Today in the United States there are a number of ways to become a citizen. The most familiar are citizenship by birth and citizenship by naturalization. A child born in the United States is a citizen by birth. Children born to U.S. citizens traveling or living outside the country, such as military personnel, are citizens. Even children born in the United States to parents who are not citizens of the United States are considered U.S. citizens. These children have dual citizenship. This means they are citizens of two countries – both the United States and the country of their parents’ citizenship. At the age of 18, the child may choose one of the countries for permanent citizenship. A person who is not a citizen of the United States may become one through a process called naturalization. To become a naturalized citizen, a person must meet certain requirements.

Be at least 18 years old. Children under the age of 18 automatically become naturalized citizens when their parents do.

Enter the United States legally. Live in the United States for at least five years immediately prior to application. Read, write, and speak English. Show knowledge of American history and government.

Finally, what distinguishes a citizen and a non-citizen? Both citizens and non-citizens (aliens) who live in the United States must obey the laws of the United States. They also receive the protection of those laws. Non-citizens are guaranteed most of the rights given to citizens. If they are tried in a court of law, for example, they are guaranteed the same rights of due process that are provided in the Constitution for citizens. However, there is one very important right that citizens have and non-citizens do not – the right to vote and hold public office. This, many people have argued, is what distinguishes the citizen from the non-citizen. This is our next issue.


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What is the difference between individuals living alone and in groups?

Readand

createmargin notes.

What Does It Mean to Be a Citizen?Your answer to this question may differ as well as be similar to others in this class and country. As we begin to look into this question, we need to compare two different situations. When people live alone, their focus or major concern is their own well being and they act out of self-interest. This is true because by being alone they have no one else around to either assist them or worry about. However, when people come together into groups or communities, an important change takes place. In addition to their own individual needs and wants, they also need to consider the common needs and welfare of the entire group.


How does loyalty affect a group?

What are the three characteristics of a citizen?

What does loyalty mean?

What is one of the basis for citizenship?

Perhaps you belong to a club, team, or other organization to which you feel loyal. Loyalty, or allegiance, means devotion, affection, and attachment. Loyalty binds the group together. Loyalty to your country is also the basis of citizenship. A citizen is a person who:

owes allegiance to a government is entitled to government protection

in exchange for that allegiance has certain rights and privileges, as

well as responsibilities, that come with citizenship.


VOCAB

LOYALTY Allegiance (faithfulness)

devotion, affection, and attachmentto a person or a cause


What is a citizen?

How is citizenship a contract?

Why do we have laws/rules?

Citizenship is a contract or agreement in which both parties provide something. The citizen provides loyalty. The government provides protection and guarantees rights. Therefore, a citizen is a person who owes allegiance (loyalty or devotion) to a government and who is entitled to government protection. As a citizen, you are a member of a society – a community bound together by common interests and standards. Do you belong to a club or team? As a member of that group, you agree to follow its rules. Why? Groups, as well as societies, need to maintain order and protect the rights of everyone. In the same way, you must obey the laws of the country.


VOCAB

CITIZEN

A personwho owes loyalty (allegiance) to a government

and who is entitled to government protection


What is dual citizenship?

What are the two ways a person becomes a citizen of the United States?

Today in the United States there are a number of ways to become a citizen. The most familiar are citizenship by birth and citizenship by naturalization. A child born in the United States is a citizen by birth. Children born to U.S. citizens traveling or living outside the country, such as military personnel, are citizens. Even children born in the United States to parents who are not citizens of the United States are considered U.S. citizens. These children have dual citizenship. This means they are citizens of two countries – both the United States and the country of their parents’ citizenship. At the age of 18, the child may choose one of the countries for permanent citizenship.


What are the five requirements for becoming a naturalized citizen?

What is naturalization?

A person who is not a citizen of the United States may become one through a process called naturalization. To become a naturalized citizen, a person must meet certain requirements.

Be at least 18 years old. Children under the age of 18 automatically become naturalized citizens when their parents do.

Enter the United States legally. Live in the United States for at

least five years immediately prior to application.

Read, write, and speak English. Show knowledge of American

history and government.


VOCAB

NATURALIZATION A way to give full citizenship to a person born in another country


What distinguishes a citizen from a non-citizen?

What is an alien?

Finally, what distinguishes a citizen and a non-citizen? Both citizens and non-citizens (aliens) who live in the United States must obey the laws of the United States. They also receive the protection of those laws. Non-citizens are guaranteed most of the rights given to citizens. If they are tried in a court of law, for example, they are guaranteed the same rights of due process that are provided in the Constitution for citizens. However, there is one very important right that citizens have and non-citizens do not – the right to vote and hold public office. This, many people have argued, is what distinguishes the citizen from the non-citizen. This is our next issue.


VOCAB

ALIEN A personwho is a non-citizen


VOCAB

CITIZENSHIP

The status given to a legal member of a country.

It involves rights, duties, and privileges.


I pledge allegianceto my Flag

and the Republic for which it stands,one nation,indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all.”

Francis Bellamy – The Youth’s Companion (September 8, 1892)Have you ever stopped to consider

what these words mean?

PRIMARY SOURCEWRAP UP


Red Skeleton’s “I Pledge Allegiance”

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2120. Lesson 6 Page 21 Essential Concept: Citizenship The Meaning of Citizenship