Joseph Sohm, Visions of America/CORBIS

2

As citizens, we enjoy the rewards of our system of government,but we also have certain responsibilities. By participating in yourgovernment, you can help ensure that our system will continue toprovide the blessings of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.In Unit 1, you will learn about the citizens of the United Statesand how our democratic system of government developed.

Use the American History Primary Source DocumentLibrary CD-ROM to find primary sources about Americansand the foundations of their citizenship.

Find out the purposes of your government firsthand. Contact agovernment leader, such as a state representative, a city councilmember, or a school board member, and ask how the governmenthe or she represents serves American citizens.

3

A ticker tape parade in New York City

3

Organizing Information Study Foldable Make the following foldable to helpyou organize what you learn about citizenship and government in a democracy.

Step 1 Collect 2 sheets of paperand place them about 1 inch apart.

Reading andWriting As you readthe chapter, write themain ideas presentedin each of the threesections of the chapterunder the tabs of yourfoldable.Step 3 When all the tabs are the

same size, crease the paper tohold the tabs in place and staplethe sheets together. Label eachtab as shown.

Step 2 Fold up the bottom edgesof the paper to form 4 tabs.

4A father and daughter at the swearing-in

ceremony for U.S. citizenship ▲

Our government protects our rights and provides us withbenefits. Our responsibilities include knowing how ourgovernment works and how it affects our lives. Contact theoffices of your local government to find out what issuesofficials are dealing with now and how they affect you.

To learn more about the roles government plays in ourlives, view the Democracy in Action video lesson 1:Government and Our Lives.

Paul A. Souders/CORBIS

Keep theedges

straight.

This makesall tabs thesame size.

Government of the PeoplePath to CitizenshipDiversity ofAmericans

Citizenship & Government

Stapletogether along

the fold.

Chapter Overview Visit the CivicsToday Web site at civ.glencoe.comand click on Chapter Overviews—Chapter 1 to preview chapterinformation.

GUIDE TO READING

Main Idea

Democratic governmentsperform necessary func-tions so citizens can livetogether peacefully.

Key Terms

civics, citizen,government, public policy, budget,dictatorship, democracy,direct democracy,representative democracy, majority rule

Reading Strategy

Organizing InformationCreate a chart like theone below. Then list thelevels of government, afunction of each, and anexample of the level andfunction in the correctcolumns.

Read to Learn

• Why do people needgovernments?

• What purposes do governments serve?

Government of the People, by the People, for the People

SECTION

When Americans voteor serve on a jury, their actions arebased on ideas that people had inthe fourth century B.C. In examininghow people act, Aristotle wrotethese words: “If liberty and equality,as is thought by some, are chieflyto be found in democracy, they willbe best attained when all personsalike share in the government tothe utmost.”

What Is Civics?Civics is the study of the rights and duties of citizens. The

concept of citizenship dates back more than 2,500 years toancient Greece and Rome. In those days, only a few people—men with property—could be citizens. This elite group helpedgovern the city and enjoyed other privileges that the commonpeople did not share.

Today gender and wealth are no longer requirements for citizenship. Indeed, most people are citizens of the coun-try in which they live. Citizens have certain rights andduties.They are community members who owe loyalty to thegovernment and are entitled to protection from it. However,being a citizen means much more than just living in a coun-try. American citizens who live abroad are still citizens of theUnited States. Citizens are a part of a country. They mayshare a common history, common customs, or common val-ues.They agree to follow a set of rules and to accept the gov-ernment’s authority.

Explaining As a citizen, what do you agree to do?

Aristotle teaches

6 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy

Level Function Example

Bridgeman Art Library

The Need for GovernmentA government is the ruling authority for

a community. Any organization that has thepower to make and enforce laws and deci-sions for its members acts as a government.

For hundreds of years, people haveformed governments. Thomas Hobbes, anEnglish political thinker during the 1600s,believed that without government life wouldbe “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”Hobbes claimed that human beings naturallycompete for territory, resources, and power.If each of us could do just as we pleased,fighting would be common, and survivalwould depend on strength and cunning.

Think about trying to play basketballwith no rules or referees. How would playersknow what to do and what not to do? Howwould the winner be deter-mined? The game would prob-ably be a chaotic free-for-all.Similarly, if there were no gov-ernment to make and enforcelaws, we would live in a state ofconfusion, violence, and fear.We would also struggle tomeet our needs entirely on ourown. Fortunately, governmentcan make it possible for peopleto live together peacefully andproductively.

Summarizing Why didHobbes believe people neededgovernments?

The Functions of

Government Governments serve many

purposes and offer citizensmany benefits. They helpkeep order, settle conflicts,and protect the community.

They provide services that individualscould not supply independently. They alsoguide the community and plan for its futureby setting policies, making budgets, andinteracting with other communities.

Keeping Order and Providing Security Conflicts are unavoidable when people

live together in a community. Citizens maydisagree on all sorts of matters—theirchoice of leaders, the best way to raise orspend money, the rightful owner of certainproperty, and so on. Governments makelaws to help prevent conflicts and to settlethose conflicts that do arise.

Governments have the power toenforce the laws. For example, to makesure that drivers obey traffic regulations,

Civic Participation Apple Valley High School students inMinnesota recite the Pledge of Allegiance. How do you thinkreciting the pledge reflects citizenship?

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 7AP/Wide World Photos

police officers are empowered to ticket orarrest violators. Courts decide whetherthose accused of crimes are guilty and howthey should be punished if found guilty.

Along with the need for law and ordercome concerns about community secu-rity—defending citizens and their landfrom enemies. Arrangements must bemade to fight off possible threats. For thisreason, governments set up armed forcesand agencies that watch for likely sourcesof trouble.

Providing Public Services Governments provide many services

that would not be available without coop-eration and coordination. Govern-ments create and manage libraries,schools, hospitals, parks, and recre-ation centers. They develop systemsto provide mass transit and supplywater to our homes and businesses.Government workers build andrepair streets, erect bridges, collectgarbage, and deliver the mail.

Many government services areaimed at keeping the public healthy

and safe. Local communities set up firedepartments and ambulance services, forexample. States license drivers and doctors.Other government agencies protect us fromdangerous drugs or spoiled food. Govern-ment inspectors check for safety problemsin everything from factories to day carecenters to amusement park rides.

Governments also give help to needypeople. For example, in each of the 50states, poor families and people who areout of work can receive food aid or cash.Government agencies also supply afford-able housing, health care, job training,and special programs for people withdisabilities.

Tony Freeman/PhotoEdit

8 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy

A banner created by American students after the terroristattacks of September 2001

KEEP ORDER

Pass and enforce traffic laws

Establish courts

PROVIDE SECURITY

Prevent crime

Protect citizens from foreign attacks

PROVIDE SERVICES

Provide libraries, schools,hospitals, parks, water, utilities

GUIDE THE COMMUNITY

Manage the economy

Conduct foreign relations

Governments perform four major functions, as shown bythe examples here. How do courts help keep order?

Functions of Government

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 9

Guiding the Community Another function of government is to

formulate public policy, or a course ofgovernment action to achieve communitygoals. When government leaders decidethey want to protect consumers, for exam-ple, or strengthen national security, they aresetting public policy goals. When they passlaws or develop guidelines to reach thesegoals, they are making public policy.

Most public policy decisions involvesome financial planning as well. Govern-ments have limited amounts of money, andthey must be careful to use it wisely.Creating a budget, or a plan for collectingand spending money, is key to the successof the community.

Another part of guiding the communityis developing relations with the commu-nity’s neighbors and other outsiders.Governments often take responsibility forcommunicating and cooperating with othergovernments for the benefit of their citizens. International trade, travel, andmilitary pacts, or agreements—all part of

public policy—would be impossible ifnational governments did not concernthemselves with foreign relations.

Concluding Why is plan-ning a budget important to a government’ssuccess?

Levels of GovernmentWithin a single country, many levels of

government may exist. Each exercisesauthority over a different group of people.The highest level in the United States isthe national government, centered in thenation’s capital, Washington, D.C. Thenational government makes and enforceslaws for the entire country. Each of our 50 states has its own government as well,which decides matters for the people inthat state. The level of government closestto Americans is local government. Localgovernments include counties, cities, andtowns.Your school may have a student gov-ernment, and if you choose to belong to a

©Tribune Media Services

Analyzing Visuals Sinceour nation’s earliest days,citizens have sought to bal-ance the need for govern-ment services with thedesire to be left alone. Whatstatement is the voter mak-ing with his words? How dothe voter’s actions contra-dict his speech?

club like Girl Scouts or 4-H, you respectthat organization’s governing body, too.

When people speak of “the govern-ment,” they usually mean the national gov-ernment. State and local governments, aswell as governments of organizations, can-not take actions that go against the lawsand authority of the national government.

Comparing How do thegeneral duties of the national governmentdiffer from those of state governments?

Democratic GovernmentIn some parts of the world, governmen-

tal power lies in the hands of just a smallgroup or even a single person. For example,the government of Cuba is a dictatorship. Adictatorship is a government controlledby one person or a small group of people.In the United States, all citizens share ingoverning and being governed.This kind ofgovernment, in which the people rule, iscalled a democracy.

The foundations of democracy aremore than 2,500 years old. Democracybegan in ancient Greece, most famously inthe city of Athens. Every citizen of Athenshad the right and responsibility to partici-pate in the city’s government, and all

citizens had an equal voice. This was adirect democracy—all the citizens met todebate government matters and vote first-hand. Direct democracy is not practical formost countries today because of their largesizes and large populations. Many coun-tries have representative democraciesinstead.The citizens choose a smaller groupto represent them, make laws, and governon their behalf, but the people remain thesource of the government’s authority.

The United States is the oldest represen-tative democracy in the world. For morethan 225 years, Americans have electedpresidents, members of Congress, and otherleaders to speak for them. Citizens expresstheir views in person, over the phone, by e-mail and regular “snail” mail, and throughpublic opinion polls and political groups. Inlater chapters you will read more about howyou can participate in government and aboutyour rights and responsibilities as a citizen.

Principles of American Democracy Abraham Lincoln, America’s sixteenth

president, described our democracy as a“government of the people, by the people, forthe people.” His words make three importantpoints. First, the power of the governmentcomes from the citizens. Second, Americansthemselves, acting through their representa-tives, run their government. Third, the pur-pose of the government is to make the UnitedStates a better place for those who live here.

Because democratic governments existby the people, all genuine democracies havefree, fair, and competitive elections.Through free elections, people have thechance to choose their leaders and voicetheir opinions on various issues.

Dictatorship Teens in Iraq hold up a picture oftheir leader, Saddam Hussein, during a national cel-ebration of his 64th birthday in 2001. Why do youthink dictators like Hussein need large armies?

AP/Wide World Photos

10 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy

Peter Miller/Photo Researchers

What makes an election fair and free?First, everyone’s vote must carry the sameweight. This principle is often expressed in the phrase “one person, one vote.”Second, all candidates have the right toexpress their views freely to the public.Citizens are free to support candidates orissues. The legal requirements for votingmust be kept to a minimum. For example,our voting laws center on age, residence, andcitizenship, while other factors like race andethnic and religious background cannot beused to restrict voting. Finally, citizens mayvote freely by secret ballot, without fearingpunishment for their voting decisions.

Competitive elections and competingpolitical parties are an important element indemocracies. (A political party is a group ofindividuals with broad, common interestswho organize to support candidates foroffice and determine public policy.) Com-peting political parties give voters a choiceamong candidates. Also, the parties out ofpower help make those in power moreresponsible to the needs of the people.

In a democracy, individuals are free todevelop their own capacities. This meansthat the government works to promoteequality, and all people have an equalopportunity to develop their talents.

Of course, you can’t please all the peo-ple all the time. Another principle of ourdemocracy is majority rule. Citizensagree that when differences of opinionarise, we will abide by what most peoplewant. At the same time, we insist on respectfor the rights of those in the minority.

A town meeting in Warren, Vermont

Fundamental Principlesof American Democracy

RULE OF LAW

All people, including those whogovern, are bound by the law.

LIMITED GOVERNMENT

Government is not all-powerful—it may do only those things thatpeople have given it the power to do.

CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED

American citizens are the sourceof all governmental power.

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

In the American democracy, individual rights are protected by government.

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

People elect government leaders tomake the laws and govern ontheir behalf.

Our American democracy is built on these funda-mental principles. Who is the source of power in direct democracies and representativedemocracies?

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 11

Respect for minority rights is sometimesdifficult to maintain, though, especially ifsociety is under a great deal of stress. Forexample, the United States governmentimprisoned in excess of 100,000 JapaneseAmericans in relocation camps duringWorld War II. Government leaders fearedthat these Americans would be disloyal.This relocation program caused severehardships for many Japanese Americans anddeprived them of basic liberties. In 1988Congress recognized the “grave injustice” ofthe relocation camps and offered paymentsof $20,000 to those Japanese Americans stillliving who had been relocated.

After the terrorist attacks of 2001,President George W. Bush realized thatmany people might turn their anger againstMuslims in the United States, so he visitedthe Islamic Center in Washington, D.C.,soon after the attacks. He explained thatIslam is a peaceful religion and urgedAmericans to treat Muslim Americans fairly.

Comparing What is thedifference between a dictatorship and ademocracy?

12 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy

Checking for Understanding

1. Key Terms Use the followingterms in complete sentencesthat demonstrate the meaning of each term: civics, citizen,government, public policy,budget, dictatorship, democracy,direct democracy, representativedemocracy, majority rule.

Reviewing Main Ideas2. Compare What is the difference

between a direct democracy anda representative democracy?

3. Identify What three levels ofgovernment exist in the UnitedStates?

Critical Thinking

4. Making Predictions What doyou think would happen if therewere no governments anywherein the world? Describe such asituation, and then explain whygovernments are necessary.

5. Organizing Information On aweb diagram like the one below, write as many benefits of government as you can.

Analyzing Visuals

6. Conclude Review the funda-mental principles of Americandemocracy on page 11. Howdoes the American governmentcarry out the principle of con-sent of the governed?

SECTION ASSESSMENT

Benefits ofGovernment

�BE AN ACTIVE CITIZEN�7. Analyze Primary Sources Find

news articles that report on gov-ernment performing the threefunctions explained in this sec-tion. Identify which function andlevel of government each articledescribes.

What Does It Mean to Be a“Good Citizen” of a Country?Which of the following actions do you think demon-strate being a good citizen?

• Hanging a flag outside the home or on the car• Speaking out against the government• Giving money to people in need• Paying taxes on time• Speaking English• Voting• Not criticizing the govern-

ment during time of war• Serving on a jury or testify-

ing as a witness at a trial• Swearing an oath of alle-

giance to the United States• Serving one year of

national service, eithermilitary or community service, upon graduation from high school

� BE AN ACTIVE CITIZEN �Form a group with four other classmates to shareand discuss your priorities. Identify and prioritizethe group’s five top qualities of good citizens.

Joseph Sohm, ChromoSohm, Inc./CORBIS

13

Is the government monitoring her?

Should the Government BeAllowed to Use Electronic

Surveillance?In an effort to track down terrorists, government intelli-gence—the secret agents charged with protecting thenation’s security—jumped into cyberspace. On October26, 2001, President George W. Bush signed the ProvideAppropriate Tools Required to Intercept and ObstructTerrorism Act. Known as the PATRIOT Act, this anti-terrorist law armed the FBI and Central IntelligenceAgency (CIA) with broad new powers. One provisionincluded the use of electronic surveillance—governmentsearches of the Internet, including e-mail sent fromhome computers. Critics charged that electronic surveil-lance violated the rights of Americans. Supportersclaimed that it protected them from harm.

The despicable acts of September 11 havetaught us that the terrorists now targeting theUnited States are both resourceful and capableof evading standard investigative techniques.While being mindful to protect our civil liberties,we must act now to fight terrorism by giving ourlaw enforcement and intelligence communitiesthe tools they need to find and eliminate terror-ists wherever they might hide. . . .

This bill, I believe, strikes an appropriate bal-ance between the protection of our civil liber-ties and putting some teeth into the nation’santiterrorism laws.

—Mike Simpson, Republican representative, Idaho, 2001

The House Republican Leadership today gaveAmericans, and the members of Congress thatrepresent them, a false choice—stop terrorismor sacrifice fundamental civil liberties. . . .

The bill . . . would allow wholesale use ofcovert [secret] searches for any criminal investi-gation, allowing the government to enter yourhome or office and conduct a search, take pho-tographs and download your computer fileswithout notifying you until later. . . .

We must strengthen our nation’s ability todestroy the threat of terrorism—but we mustnot destroy our constitutional rights and free-doms in the process.

—Michael M. Honda, Democraticrepresentative, California, 2001

AP/Wide World Photos

1. What arguments does Simpson use to sup-port the use of electronic surveillance?

2. Why does Honda oppose it?

3. What do you think about the use of elec-tronic surveillance? When, if ever, should itbe used?

Debating the IssueDebating the Issue

GUIDE TO READING

Main Idea

A person not born in the United States canbecome a citizen throughthe process of naturaliza-tion. Some residents ofthe United States are notcitizens.

Key Terms

naturalization, alien,immigrant, deport

Reading Strategy

Sequencing InformationAs you read, complete achart like the one belowto list the steps in thenaturalization process.

Read to Learn

• How can peoplebecome citizens of the United States?

• How are both legal andillegal aliens able tolive in the UnitedStates?

The Path toCitizenship

SECTION

American soldier during the Vietnam War

14 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy

Naturalization Process

Step1

Step2

Step3

Step4

Step5

Step6

AP/Wide World Photos

He thought he was an American citizen. He was drafted in 1969 and served two years in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War; but when Tom Castillo carried out some research on his family tree, he made a discovery.He had been born in Mexico. When Castillo was about five, he, his mother, and two siblings moved from Mexico to Texas. His mother kept his birthplace a secret, wanting him to grow up American. Now,at age 52, Castillo has become a naturalized citizen of the United States. It was a natural step for Castillo, who says, “I’ve always considered myself an American first.”

Who Are America’s Citizens?In Section 1 you learned that citizens are people with cer-

tain rights and duties under a government and who owe alle-giance to that government. Although Tom Castillo thought andacted like an American citizen, he wasn’t technically anAmerican citizen until later. Every country has rules about howpeople gain citizenship. In the United States, the FourteenthAmendment defines a U.S. citizen as anyone “born or natural-ized in the United States.” Therefore, the U.S. Constitutionestablishes two ways to become a citizen: by birth and, for for-eigners who choose to become citizens, by a legal processcalled naturalization.

Citizenship by BirthIf you were born in any of the 50 states or the District of

Columbia, you automatically became an American citizen atbirth.The same is true if you were born outside the country butin American territory, such as Puerto Rico or Guam or on a U.S.military base overseas. Even if you were born elsewhere, you

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 15

could still claim American citizenship if yourparents are both citizens or if one is a citizenwho has actually lived in the United States.

Children born on American soil to non-U.S. citizens also acquire U.S. citizenship atbirth. An exception to this rule is made forchildren born to foreign diplomats—officialgovernment representatives—living in theUnited States. Such children keep the citi-zenship of their parents.

Under some circumstances, Americansmay hold dual citizenship. This means thatthey enjoy rights in the United States andin another country at the same time. Forexample, a child born abroad to Americanparents may be both a U.S. citizen and acitizen of the country of his or her birth.

The Naturalization ProcessSeveral million noncitizens, or aliens,

live in the United States. Some come tostudy, to work, or to visit relatives for awhile. They remain citizens of their owncountries and eventually return home.Other aliens, however, plan to settle hereand become naturalized citizens. Morethan half a million immigrants—peoplewho move permanently to a new coun-try—gain American citizenship each year.

Aliens who want to become UnitedStates citizens must first sign a statementsaying just that. This Declaration ofIntention is then filed with the Immi-gration and Naturalization Service (INS),an agency of the national government. Formost aliens, the next step comes after liv-ing in the United States at least five years.(Aliens who are married to citizens waitonly three years.) During this time, manyimmigrants take special classes to preparefor citizenship. At this time, if they are atleast 18 years old and have lived for atleast three months in the state where theyseek naturalization, they may file an appli-cation for citizenship.

After the paperwork is checked, thealien has an interview with an INS offi-cial. Agency officials want to be sure thealien meets the necessary requirementsand is of good moral character. The appli-cant must also take a citizenship examthat consists of questions about reading,writing, and speaking English and basicfacts about the history and government ofthe United States. Afterward, the INSmakes its decision.

If the application is granted, the final stepin naturalization is attending a ceremony andpledging an oath of allegiance. The alienswears to be loyal to this country above allothers, to obey the Constitution and otherlaws, and to perform military or other dutiesif needed.Then the person signs a documentand is declared a citizen of the United States.

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure [reject] all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, to whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; thatI will perform noncombatant service inthe armed forces of the United States when required by law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by law; and thatI take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TOTHE UNITED STATES

Becoming an American Citizen All citizen-ship applicants must take the citizenshipoath. What step in the naturalizationprocess comes just before taking the citizenship oath?

If he or she has children under 18, they auto-matically become naturalized citizens, too.

Comparing What is thefirst step an alien takes to become a citizen?

A Lifelong PrivilegeWhether they are naturalized or native-

born, most Americans keep their citizenshipforever. Only the federal government can

both grant citizenship and take it away.Although state governments can deny aconvicted criminal some of the privileges ofcitizenship, such as voting, they do not havethe power to deny citizenship itself. Thegovernment may strip naturalized citizensof their citizenship if it was improperlyobtained. However, in most cases, the onlyway to lose U.S. citizenship is to voluntarilygive it up. This must be done in a foreigncountry, with a formal oath signed before anappropriate American official.

There is no going back for those whotake this step. They cannot later changetheir minds and regain citizenship. Theyalso remain liable for old debts and anycrimes they may have committed in theUnited States.

Aliens in AmericaThe United States restricts the num-

ber of immigrants who can enter thecountry. Millions apply, but only about675,000 are accepted each year. Tradi-tionally, the relatives of U.S. citizens andpeople with needed job skills received thehighest priority. Family members still getspecial consideration, but because of theImmigration Act of 1990, emphasis hasshifted toward welcoming “those whowant to work and produce and con-tribute,” as one member of Congress putit. The new policy benefits people withparticular skills, talents, or the money toinvest in our economy.

Illegal Aliens Despite immigration limits, approx-

imately 5 to 6 million aliens are living in theUnited States illegally. Some were refusedpermission to immigrate; others neverapplied for permission because they feared along, slow process or being turned down.

Bettmann/CORBIS

Emma Lazarus(1849–1887)Emma Lazarus wrote the poem that today captures the meaning of the Statue ofLiberty. Lines from “The NewColossus,” written in 1883,appear at the statue’s base. In words now famous, Lazarusdeclared:

Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to

breathe free.

Lazarus, the fourth of seven children, grewup in one of the oldest and most respectedJewish families in New York City. She pub-lished her first book at age 17 and by age 25was a well-known writer.

All around her, Lazarus saw a city alivewith immigration. New York more than dou-bled in size as millions of immigrants cameto the United States in the late 1800s.Lazarus felt strong ties with Jews driven fromRussia because of their religion. She startedclasses in English and helped Russian Jewsfind housing.

To Lazarus, the United States was the“golden door” to freedom. She hoped that theStatue of Liberty, erected in 1886, would serveas a beacon of liberty to the entire world.

16 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy

Illegal alienscome to theUnited States ina variety of ways.A few enter thecountry as tem-porary visitorsbut never leave.Others risk cap-

ture and arrest by illegally crossing ourborders with Mexico and Canada. Otherillegal aliens are foreigners who have stayedin the United States after their legal per-mits have expired.

Whatever the method, the reason is usu-ally the same. “I came for work and for a bet-ter life,” explained one Mexican immigrant;yet illegal aliens often have a difficult time inthe United States. Many have no friends orfamily here, no place to live, and no sure wayto earn money. It is against the law to hireillegal aliens, and those who do find workusually receive little pay and no benefits.Every day they live with the fear that govern-ment officials will discover and deportthem—send them back to their own country.

The United States Border Patrol is thelaw-enforcement unit of the INS. Its pri-mary responsibility is to detect and preventthe illegal entry of aliens into the UnitedStates. The Border Patrol patrols the 6,000miles of Mexican and Canadian interna-tional land borders and 2,000 miles ofcoastal waters surrounding the FloridaPeninsula and the island of Puerto Rico.

Legal Aliens Aliens who have entered the United

States legally lead lives much like those ofAmerican citizens. Aliens—both legal andillegal—may hold jobs, own property, attendpublic schools, and receive other govern-ment services. They pay taxes and are enti-tled to legal protection.

Aliens do not have full political rights,however. They may not vote in elections orrun for office.They may not serve on juriesor work in most government jobs. In addi-tion, unlike U.S. citizens, aliens must carryidentification cards at all times.

Explaining Why do youthink aliens come to the United States?

Checking for Understanding

1. Key Terms Define each of thefollowing terms and explain howit relates to citizenship in theUnited States: naturalization,alien, immigrant, deport.

Reviewing Main Ideas2. Explain What is dual citizen-

ship? How can an Americanobtain dual citizenship?

3. Describe What is the most common way that a personloses American citizenship?Explain the process by whichthis happens.

Critical Thinking

4. Synthesizing Information If youwere a government official, howwould you prevent illegal aliensfrom entering the United States?

5. Comparing and Contrasting Ona chart like the one below, com-pare the rights of legal aliens tothe rights of citizens of theUnited States.

Analyzing Visuals

6. Explain Reread the Oath ofAllegiance to the United Stateson page 15. What must natural-ized citizens publicly renounce orgive up?

SECTION ASSESSMENT

�BE AN ACTIVE CITIZEN�7. Write Interview an American

who became a citizen throughthe naturalization process. Whatreasons brought him or her tothe United States? Why did he orshe want to become anAmerican citizen?

Aliens Both Citizens

Student Web Activity Visitciv.glencoe.com and click onStudent Web Activities—Chapter 1 to learn moreabout becoming anAmerican citizen.

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 17

Critical Thinking

Why Learn This Skill?When you read a sports or fashion article, youusually remember the highlights about the topicdescribed. These highlights are main ideas.Identifying main ideas is a useful skill when youread textbooks, news reports, or referencematerials. It will help you remember informationfor a test and become an informed citizen.

Learning the SkillTo identify the main ideas in a passage, followthese steps:• Determine the topic discussed in the para-

graph or other selection you are reading.There may be a title or bold heading to helpyou. You might also skim the selection tofind the topic.

• Read to learn what the selection says aboutthe topic. Ask yourself: What is the purposeof this information?

• Identify important details that support thetopic being discussed.

• Identify the main idea. The main idea may befound in a topic sentence at the beginning or

end of a passage. The main idea may also be described in several sentences.Sometimes, however, the main idea may be implied, or stated indirectly.

• After reading the selection, look away.Mentally restate the main idea in your own words.

Practicing the SkillRead the passage below and answer the fol-lowing questions.

A person who has dual citizenship claimscitizenship in two countries. He or she isobliged to obey the legal requirements ofcitizenship of both countries. To avoidproblems, a person who is or plans tobecome a dual citizen needs to know thelaws of both countries. In some cases,the person may automatically lose citi-zenship in one country upon becoming acitizen of the other. The dual citizen willlikely need separate passports for enter-ing or leaving each country. Both coun-tries may require the dual citizen to paytaxes or to serve in the military.

Which sentence states the main idea ofthe passage? What details support the main idea? Restate the main idea in your own words. 3

2

1

18 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy

A new citizen examines her passport.

Practice key skills with Glencoe’sSkillbuilder Interactive WorkbookCD-ROM, Level 1.

Identifying the Main Idea

Read the paragraphs under the heading “A Lifelong Privilege” of your textbook onpage 16. Identify the main idea and restate it in your own words.

Applying the Skill

AP/Wide World Photos

GUIDE TO READING

Main Idea

In addition to its commonvalues and civic unity, theUnited States benefitsfrom its rich diversity.

Key Terms

migration, patriotism,terrorism

Reading Strategy

Identifying InformationAs you read, create a webdiagram like the oneshown here, in which youlist as many examples ofdiversity in the UnitedStates as you can.

Read to Learn

• How and why doAmericans representdiverse cultures?

• What are the commonvalues and civic unitythat hold togetherAmericans from diverseracial, ethnic, and reli-gious backgrounds?

The Diversity of Americans

SECTION

The diversity of the United States has been, and still is, agreat strength. In 1888 Henry Cabot Lodge, a member of the U.S.Congress, urged Americans to actively accept immigrants: “Let everyman honor and love the landof his birth and the race fromwhich he springs and keeptheir memory green. It is apious and honorable duty. Butlet us have done with British-Americans and Irish-Americansand German-Americans, andso on, and all beAmericans. . . . If a man isgoing to be an American at alllet him be so without anyqualifying adjectives; and if heis going to be something else,let him drop the wordAmerican from his personaldescription.”

A Nation of ImmigrantsOn the back of every American coin, you’ll find the Latin

words E pluribus unum, meaning “Out of many, one.” Thisphrase reminds us that the many diverse citizens of the UnitedStates have joined together to create a single, strong nation.For all our differences, we are linked by shared values andexperiences. More than 281 million people live in the UnitedStates today. All of us are descended from families that immi-grated at one time or another. Most scholars believe that thefirst Native Americans arrived here thousands of years ago bycrossing over a “land bridge” that once connected Asia andNorth America.

European Settlers Until the mid-1900s, most immigrants came from Europe.

The first Europeans to settle permanently in North Americaarrived from Spain during the 1500s.They occupied territory in

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 19Bettmann/CORBIS

Immigrants entering the UnitedStates at Ellis Island, New York, in

the late 1800sDiversity in theUnited States

what is now Florida, California, and theSouthwest, where their influence still lingers.

Beginning in the 1600s, people fromFrance and England came to NorthAmerica. The French settled primarily inCanada, but they also clustered aroundthe Mississippi River. English immigrantssettled mainly along the east coast ofNorth America, creating the 13 coloniesthat became the United States. During thelate 1600s and the 1700s, immigrantsfrom Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland,Scotland, and Sweden joined theseEnglish settlers.

After the United States gained its inde-pendence, it became known throughoutEurope as a land of promise. The numberof immigrants grew from 600,000 in the 1830s to more than 2 million by the1850s. Between 1860 and 1890, more than10 million Europeans—many of them from

Denmark, Norway, and Sweden—streamedinto this country.

Another flood of immigrants—about 22 million—reached our shores between1890 and 1924. Most of them came fromsouthern and eastern Europe, from countriessuch as Italy, Greece, Poland, and Russia.

John Lei/OmniPhotoCommunication

U.S. Immigration, Selected Decades

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1981–1990

1961–1970

1941–1950

1921–1930

1901–1910

1881–1890

1861–1870

1841–1859

YEARS

1.72.3

5.2

8.8

4.1

1.0

3.3

7.3

Source: Immigration and Naturalization Service.

IMM

IGR

AN

TS(in

mill

ions

)

Immigration and naturalization have led to an increas-ingly diverse American society. During which timeperiod did the largest number of immigrants come to America?

Visit civ.glencoe.com and click on Textbook Updates–

Chapter 1 for an update of the data.

UPDATE

Out of Many, One All American coins carrythe Latin phrase E pluribus unum. How doesthis phrase reflect the population of theUnited States?

20 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy

Courtesy family of Mai Payia Vang

During the past 50 years, immigrationfrom Europe to the United States haslagged far behind immigration from therest of the world. Latin America nowaccounts for the largest share of foreignnewcomers, followed by Asia.

African Immigrants Among the early immigrants to

America were some who did not come will-ingly. Western and central Africans weretaken by force from their homes, shippedacross the Atlantic Ocean, and sold asslaves in the Caribbean Islands and Northand South America. Between 1619 and1808, before it became illegal to bringenslaved persons into the United States,some 500,000 were brought to the countryin this way. Most African Americans todayare descendants of enslaved persons.Others are immigrants from various coun-tries in Africa and the Caribbean region.

Summarizing When didthe largest group of European immigrantscome to the United States?

A Diverse PopulationThe American population is extraordi-

narily diverse in terms of ethnic back-grounds. Many Americans today do notidentify themselves as members of a singleethnic group. However, whites of Europeandescent number more than 211 million.There are about 35 million AfricanAmericans, nearly 11 million Asians andPacific Islanders, and almost 2.5 millionNative Americans. Another 35 million peo-ple are Hispanics—people of any race whotrace their ancestry to the Spanish-speakingcountries of the Western Hemisphere.

Our ethnic diversity is matched by reli-gious diversity. Christians are in the major-ity, with more than 158 million practicing

some form of Christianity. Jews, Muslims,Buddhists, and many other religiousgroups also worship freely; and those whodon’t practice any religion are equally athome here.

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 21

Born in Thailand, Mai Payia Vang wasjust three years old when she moved to

the United States. Her family moved toMilwaukee, Wisconsin, in search of greatersecurity, safety, and opportunity. “My fatherdidn’t want us to suffer like he did,” Vangsays. “There was a lot of war. Our liveswere at risk. He said there was a chancefor a better life here.”

The Vangs’ life did improve after theymoved—dramatically; but that doesn’tmean they didn’t struggle. Learning tospeak English, for example, was one of thebiggest obstacles Vang had to overcome.When she was in middle school and havingtrouble reading, Vang had a sudden realiza-tion: “I thought that if I had a tutor whocould help me out, I could do better.”

Vang started a community-wide tutoringprogram. Dubbed EleMENTORing, the ideais to get high school students to helpyounger children improve their reading.

Vang created EleMENTORing with thehelp of her local YMCA, where she volun-teers. If you’d like to find out more aboutYMCA service learning programs, click ontheir Web site at www.YMCA.net

Mai Payia Vang from Wisconsin

As people with different beliefs andbackgrounds have made lives for themselvesin the United States, many of their “oldcountry” traditions have become part of theAmerican culture.The American culture is arich blend of varied influences.

Concluding How would youdescribe today’s American culture?

A Growing and

Changing PopulationThe growth of America’s population is

not due entirely to immigration. It alsoincreased naturally as a result of Americanshaving many children. For example, between1830 and 1930, the nation’s population grewfrom about 12 million people to about 120 million people. Fewer than 40 million ofthose new Americans were immigrants.

Over the years, the American popula-tion has changed in many ways. In the

mid-1800s, for exam-ple, people beganmoving from ruralareas to cities. Theystarted working in fac-tories rather than onfarms. In the past fewdecades, manufactur-ing has lost ground towhat we call “the serv-ice economy.” Moreand more Americansnow earn a living byproviding services—practicing law or medi-cine, clerking in stores,

programming computers, teaching, and soforth. In addition, there are more womenand at-home workers in the labor force thanever before.

The places where we live are changingtoo. For example, shortly after the Civil War,African Americans, freed from slavery,headed for the cities seeking jobs and a newway of life. The result was a migration, orthe mass movement, of African Americansfrom the South to the North. For much ofour history, the Northeast was the mostpopulous part of the country. Today, theSouth claims that distinction, and the pop-ulation there and in the West is growingfaster than in any other region.

The population is changing in otherways as well. For example, the average ageof citizens is climbing upward as people livelonger and have fewer children. Recordnumbers of Americans are now earning col-lege and graduate degrees.

Hispanic Americans are the fastest-growing ethnic group. Indeed, if currentpatterns continue, Hispanics and otherminority groups, taken as a whole, will soonbe in the majority.

Summarizing In what waysis the American population changing?

22 Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy(l)Thomas E. Franklin/Bergen Record/SABA/CORBIS, (r)AP/Wide World Photos

Displaying Patriotism Three New York Cityfirefighters raise the American flag amid therubble of the World Trade Center. Students atYale Headstart Center in Mississippi showtheir support for America. In what ways doAmericans display their patriotism?

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 23

Checking for Understanding

1. Key Terms In a paragraph com-pare the terms patriotism andterrorism. Explain how theyrelate to each other.

Reviewing Main Ideas2. Identify Who were the first

immigrants to what is now theUnited States?

3. Describe What immigrants didnot come willingly to the UnitedStates?

Critical Thinking

4. Evaluating Information What doyou think is the most importantsource of American unity?Explain your answer.

5. Sequencing Information On atime line similar to the onebelow, show when various ethnicgroups immigrated to the UnitedStates.

Analyzing Visuals

6. Identify Review the graph onpage 20 that shows immigrationto the United States. About howmany immigrants came to theUnited States between 1981and 1990?

SECTION ASSESSMENT

Unity Among CitizensThere are various sources of American

unity. One very important source ofAmerican unity is a common civic and polit-ical heritage based upon the country’sfounding documents, such as theDeclaration of Independence, the U.S.Constitution of 1787, and the Bill of Rightsof 1791. American ideals of individual rightsto “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi-ness” are in these founding documents. Soare such values as popular sovereignty (gov-ernment by consent of the governed), equaljustice under law, and majority rule throughthe people’s representatives in government.These representatives are accountable to thepeople through fair, free, and regular elec-tions in which citizens have the right to participate.There is majority rule in govern-ment, but the majority is limited by thehigher law of the people’s Constitution toprotect equally the rights of everyone asindividuals in the political system.

A second significant source is a single lan-guage, English, which generally is accepted asthe primary means of communication in

education, government, and business.Americans are free to speak any language.However, the community of citizens in theUnited States is strengthened by the com-mon and public use of one language, whichcan be used by diverse groups of Americansto communicate freely with one another.

As Americans, we demonstrate our patriotism—love for one’s country—inmany ways.We fly the flag proudly, sing thenational anthem, and recite the Pledge ofAllegiance. We follow the nation’s laws andparticipate in civic life. We stand togetherand fight bravely in times of trouble.

Consider the events of September 11,2001. On that day, suicide hijackerslaunched devastating attacks on New YorkCity and Washington, D.C.These were actsof terrorism—the use of violence bygroups against civilians to achieve a politi-cal goal. Americans, however, respondedwith courage and unity. We joined togetherto help people in need, repair the damage,and reaffirm our commitment to freedom.

Summarizing What aretwo sources of American unity?

Pre-1500

1500

1600

1700

1800 2000

1900

�BE AN ACTIVE CITIZEN�7. Research Choose an ethnic or

religious group in your commu-nity. Using newspapers, TV, orother sources of information, listexamples of the group’s contri-bution to life in your community.

Reviewing Key TermsWrite the chapter key term that matches eachdefinition below.

1. a display of love for one’s country

2. the study of the rights and duties of citizens

3. a plan for making and spending money

4. noncitizens living in a nation

5. people who move permanently to a new country

6. a government in which citizens choose asmaller group to govern on their behalf

7. a legal process to obtain citizenship

8. to send an alien or immigrant back to his orher own country

9. the use of violence against civilians toachieve a political goal

10. the course of government action to achieve community goals

Reviewing Main Ideas11. What three levels of government exist in the

United States, and which is the highest?

12. What are the primary functions of government?

13. In what ways can a person become a citizenof the United States?

14. What political rights do legal aliens in theUnited States not have?

15. After whites of European descent, what arethe two largest ethnic groups in the UnitedStates?

16. How did most African American immigrantsdiffer from other racial or ethnic groups whocame to the United States before 1808?

17. What is the INS? What is the role of the INSduring the naturalization process?

18. What does it mean to say the United Stateshas a “service economy”? In what otherways has the American labor forcechanged?

Section 1

• People needgovernments to makeand enforce lawsand to help us meetour needs.

• Three main levelsof government exist inthe United States.

Section 3

• The United States isa land of immigrants.

• Americans have acommon civic andpolitical heritage,and a singlelanguage.

Section 2

• According to the U.S.Constitution, peoplecan become Americancitizens by birth andthrough nationalization.

• Millions of illegal alienslive in the UnitedStates. Legal alienshave entered thecountry legally.

Using Your Foldables Study OrganizerReview what you have learned by notingthe main ideas you have written on yourfoldable. Next to each main idea, writesome supporting facts and youropinions.

24(t)Kevin Fleming/CORBIS, (m)AFP/CORBIS, (b)Joseph Sohm, ChromoSohm, Inc./CORBIS

Critical Thinking19. Making Predictions What do you think

would happen to the United States if allimmigration stopped?

20. Categorizing Information On a chart likethe one below, write as many examples ofthe functions of government as possible.

Practicing Skills21. Identifying the Main Idea Read the text

under the main head “A Diverse Population”on pages 21 and 22. Identify the main ideaof the paragraphs.

Economics Activity22. The South and the West are the fastest-

growing areas in the United States. Whateconomic effect does that have on otherparts of the United States?

Analyzing Visuals23. Study the political cartoon below. What are

these wealthy American citizens saying tonewly arrived immigrants? How do you sup-pose these wealthy men came to beAmericans?

24. Form a group of three to four students and research your community’s ethnic,racial, and religious makeup. Create circle graphs that show the ethnic distribu-tion and the religious distribution in yourcommunity.

Technology Activity25. Log on to the Internet and go to

www.ins.gov for the home page of the INS. Find the “Naturalization Self-Test.”Answer at least 20 questions on the self-test and check your answers. How did you do?

Self-Check Quiz Visit the Civics Today Web site atciv.glencoe.com and click on Self-Check Quizzes—Chapter 1 to prepare for the chapter test.

Functions of Government

Order andSecurity

PublicServices

GuidingCommunity

Culver Pictures, Inc.

Standardized Test Practice

Directions: Choose the bestanswer to complete the following

statement.

A person may become a citizen of theUnited States by all of the following waysEXCEPTA through naturalization.B by being born in the United States.C by being born in American territory

outside the United States.D by being born to a foreign diplomat

working in the United States.

Test-Taking TipRead the question carefully. You are

looking for the answer choice that doesNOT fit with the question.

Chapter 1 Citizenship and Government in a Democracy 25