C.5 Your rights, duties, and

responsibilities

Rights

As an American citizen you have certain rights. These rights are listed in the U.S. Constitution, your state constitution, and through local laws.

The Bill of rights are the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Some of the most important rights are the rights of the accused.

The 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th amendments deal with the rights of the accused.

Rights of the Accused

4th amendment: You have the right to no “unreasonable search and

seizure”

5th amendment

The 5th amendment consists of the following clauses:

You have the right to no self-incrimination Eminent Domain You have the right to no double jeopardy Due process You have the right to go before a grand jury

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

6th amendment

You have the right to a speedy and public trial

You have the right to an attorneyYou have the right to a jury of peers

7th amendment

You have the right to a jury trial in civil cases over $20

8th amendment

The right to “no cruel and unusual punishment” and “ no excessive bail”

Duties and Responsibilities

A duty is something that is required by all citizens.

Examples of duties: Jury duty Obeying the law Paying taxes The draft

Duties and Responsibilities

A responsibility is something that a citizen should do.

For example, Voting Being well-informed Volunteer

Volunteerism “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for

your country” JFK- Presidential Inauguration

Why do we need people to volunteer?To make our community (a group of people

who share the same interests and concerns) a better place to live.

The gov’t has limited resources. the gov’t is a bureaucracy, which is a complex

system with many departments, many rules, and many people in the chain of command

Volunteerism continued

Donating Time and Money PTA Preparing holiday baskets for the needy in a

neighborhood Leading museum tours Volunteering at animal shelter Volunteering at a nursing home Large companies may donate money to a community

projects like a new public swimming pool, scholarships, etc..

Volunteerism continued

Volunteers in Action

Charitable Organizations more than one million charitable organizations are

registered with the federal gov’t many are small and locally operated and deal with

either (1) helping victims of domestic abuse or (2) preserving historic landmarks

Volunteerism continued

School Based programs More than ½ of all schools now arrange community service for

students grades 6-12 Some school districts require it, such as Atlanta, Ga., Chicago

IL., and the entire state of MarylandNational Service ProgramsPeace Corps- to help people in the poorest corners of

the world advise farmers teach children did wells help start small businesses fight the spread of AIDS

AmeriCorps allows 50,000 Americans to participate in local and national organizations; For example American Red Cross

Volunteerism continued

The Benefits of Volunteering We serve ourselves by serving others You’ll make friends Be satisfied and feel good Learn about teamwork