Chapter Four

A Tradition of Democracy Rights and Responsibilities

~~~~~Citizen Duties and

Responsibilities

U.S. Citizenship• civil rights are guaranteed to all U.S. citizens

by the government• all U.S. citizens have important duties and

responsibilities to fulfill for the government

Duties of CitizenshipDuties are actions citizens are required by law toperform• duties are the "musts" of citizenship• penalties or punishments for failing to perform duties• required duties of all citizens are described in the

Constitution and in the laws of the country and the states• the success of our system of government depends on all

citizens' fulfilling these duties

Certain actions are the duty of all citizens:1. Obeying the Law2. Attending School 3. Paying Taxes4. Serving in the Armed Forces5. Appearing in Court

Duties of Citizenship

Obeying the Law

• one of the most important duties of citizenship • a system of government can work only if citizens

respect and obey the laws• important to know what the laws are• ignorance of the law excuses no one

Duties of Citizenship

Attending School• one of the first duties of all Americans is to pursue an

education• U.S. places a high value on education• government provides publicly funded schools

• guarantees all young Americans the opportunity to study and learn in order to develop their talents and abilities

• provides people with the knowledge they need to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of citizenship

• helps ensure that citizens have the skills necessary to join the workforce and promote economic growth

• ensures freedom and the future of the country

Duties of CitizenshipPaying Taxes

• needed to pay for the many different services provided by the government • military defenses, police and fire protection, paved

streets, schools, electrical lines, wastewater treatment, and many more

• collected by federal government and almost all state and local governments

Duties of CitizenshipServing in the Armed Forces• duty to help the country if it is threatened• defend the United States by serving in the armed forces• 18-year-old men must register with Selective Service

• government keeps track of the names and addresses of all men of draft age

• ensures that if a war or other crisis requires that the country quickly expand its armed forces the draft could be implemented again

Draft = A policy requiring men to serve in the military.

• draft laws are generally put into effect during times of war• U.S. has used only volunteers in armed forces since 1973

Duties of CitizenshipAppearing in Court • report to serve as members of a jury if called

• summons – jury duty• must testify in court if called as witnesses

• subpoena – court order• the Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial depends on

citizens' fulfilling their duty to serve on juries and appear as witnesses

Responsibilities of CitizenshipResponsibilities are things citizens are supposed to do as good citizens• responsibilities are the “shoulds" of citizenship• no penalties or punishments for failing to perform

responsibilities - only societal consequences• important to the success of the country and the well-being

of the people

Certain actions are the responsibility of all citizens:1. Voting2. Being Informed3. Taking Part in Government4. Helping Your Community5. Respecting and Protecting Others' Rights

Voting

• one of the most important rights of U.S. citizens• one of the most important responsibilities• helps decide who the leaders of government will be• helps to determine what actions the government will take• the vote of every citizen counts• vital way of expressing your political views • carries out the constitutional ideal of government by consent

of the governed• one of the great privileges citizens of the United States have

Responsibilities of Citizenship

Being Informed • citizens have a responsibility to be well informed to cast their votes wisely• education helps prepare citizens for this important responsibility• should stay informed about current events so that they can better understand important issues• should take an active interest in the programs and activities of the government• should learn what policies are favored by each candidate running for office• should tell their representatives what they think about issues of public concern

Responsibilities of Citizenship

Taking Part in Government • citizens should be involved in their government

• as members of a political party or as independent voters• democratic government cannot truly represent the interests of

the minority if too many people refuse to participate and will not share their viewpoints with government leaders

• some citizens must be willing to serve as officials of government

• the quality of any democratic government depends on the quality of the people who serve in it

Responsibilities of Citizenship

Responsibilities of Citizenship

Helping Your Community • take pride in your community• make sure that your community can take pride in you• respect others' property• take an active part in the affairs of your community• give time to help improve your neighborhood, town, or city• volunteer your services and time at public places

• library, parks, schools, youth centers, senior centers• help serve poor people or elderly residents who cannot care

for themselves• cooperate with the police through community organizations

• Citizens on Patrol, neighborhood watch• learn more about your community and encourage others to participate as well

Responsibilities of CitizenshipRespecting and Protecting Others' Rights• all Americans must take part in defending human rights

• the success of the United States depends on the protection of the rights of all its citizens

• citizens play an important role in protecting American civil rights• know what rights all people share so you can be sure to respect

those rights• recognize when people's rights are being violated so you can

act to help protect and defend those rights