ESSENTIAL QUESTION

What are the rights and responsibilities of a citizen?

There are six ways to show good citizenship:

• Caring

• Respect

• Responsibility

• Fairness

• Honesty

• Courage

CARING•Think about what someone else needs.

•How is the person in blue in the picture showing that she cares?

RESPECT•Treat others as you would want to be treated and welcome differences among people.

RESPONSIBILITY•Do what you are suppose to do and think before you act.

•How do you act responsibly at home? At school?

FAIRNESS•Take turns and follow the rules. Listen to other people and treat them fairly.

•Why is it important to take turns and follow the rules

HONESTY•Tell the truth and do what you say you will do.

•Describe some of the problems that could occur if a person does not tell the truth.

COURAGE•Do what is right even when the task might be hard.

•What do you think the girl has done that took courage?

UNDERSTANDING THE CONSTITUTION

•At the end of the American Revolution the people wanted to set up a new government called a republic that would limit government power.

UNDERSTANDING THE CONSTITUTION

•This government became the new constitution.

•Three branches of government were set up with a system of checks and balances.

Legislative Branch

• Writes laws

• Confirms presidential appointments

• Approves treaties

• Grants money

• Declares war

Executive Branch

• Proposes and administers laws

• Commands armed forces

• Appoints officials

• Conducts foreign policy

• Makes treaties

Separation of Powers

Judicial Branch

• Interprets Constitution and other laws

• Reviews lower-court decisions

This separation balances the branches of government and keeps any one of them from growing too powerful.

THE BILL OF RIGHTS

• Established after the new Constitution was established.

• The first 10 amendments were to protect the rights of citizens.

Who determines what the Bill of Rights mean?

• The Supreme Court makes rulings on the meaning

• The Supreme Court balances the rights of the individual with the needs of society

Individual?? Society??

The Bill of RightsThe First 10 Amendments to the Constitution

• Take notes on the slides as they appear.

• Draw pictures to represent at least four of the amendments.

1st Amendment• The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of

religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition.

• This means that we all have the right to:• practice any religion we want to• to speak freely• to assemble (meet)• to address the government (petition)• to publish newspapers, TV, radio, Internet

(press)

2nd Amendment

• The 2nd Amendment protects the right to bear arms, which means the right to own a gun.

3rd Amendment

• The 3rd Amendment says “No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”

• This means that we cannot be forced to house or quarter soldiers.

4th Amendment

• The 4th Amendment protects the people from unreasonable searches and seizures.

• This means that the police must have a warrant to enter our homes. It also means the government cannot take our property, papers, or us, without a valid warrant based on probable cause (good reason).

5th Amendment

• The 5th Amendment protects people from being held for committing a crime unless they are properly indicted, (accused)

• You may not be tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy)

• You don’t have to testify against yourself in court. (Self-incrimination)

6th Amendment• The 6th Amendment

guarantees a speedy trial (you can’t be kept in jail for over a year without a trial)

• an impartial jury (doesn’t already think you are guilty)

• that the accused can confront witnesses against them

• the accused must be allowed to have a lawyer

7th Amendment

• The 7th Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy civil trial.

• A civil trial differs from a criminal trial. A civil trial is when someone sues someone else. A criminal trial is when the state tries to convict someone of a crime.

8th Amendment

• The 8th Amendment guarantees that punishments will be fair and not cruel, and that extraordinarily large fines will not be set.

9th Amendment

• All rights not stated in the Constitution and not forbidden by the Constitution belong to the people.

• This means that the states can do what they want if the Constitution does not forbid it.

10th Amendment

• The 10th Amendment states that any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the states or to the people.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

FACT

American citizenship involves great privileges and serious responsibilities.

• Citizenship in the United States is determined in several ways.

• Citizens are expected to fulfill a number of important duties.

• Active citizen involvement in government and the community is encouraged.

• The way the members of a group use their rights and carry out their responsibilities.

8.3.6

Rights

• A right is something that is owed a person.

• At school, you have the right to learn.

Responsibilities

• A responsibility is something a person must do.

• I am responsible for being quiet while the teacher is talking.

Rights or Responsibility?

• Can you list some rights you have?

• Can you list some responsibilities you have at home, at school, and on teams?

Citizenship

• Can you list some ways the members of a community show good citizenship?

Citizenship in the United States is determined in several ways

• Anyone born in the United States or U.S. territory is a citizen, as is anyone whose parent is a citizen.

• Foreign-born people whose parents are not citizens can become naturalized citizens.

• Legal immigrants may not vote or hold public office; the U.S. government can deport immigrants who break the law.

• Legal immigrants may request naturalization after living in the United States for five years.

• Naturalized citizens cannot become president or vice president and can lose their citizenship.

Becoming a CitizenTo become a citizen, one must:

– Be over 18 and support themselves financially or have someone assume financial responsibility for them

– Be law-abiding and support the U.S. Constitution

– Demonstrate understanding of written and spoken English

– Show basic knowledge of U.S. history and government

– Go before a naturalization court and take an oath of allegiance to the United States.

Citizens are expected to fulfill a number of important duties.

• For a representative democracy to work, Americans need to fulfill their civic duties.

• Duties include – Participating in elections – Obeying laws– Paying taxes– Defending the nation

• Men over 18 may be required to serve in the military in the event of a draft.

– Serving on juries

Active citizen involvement in government and the community is encouraged.

• Taking part in the elections process by voting may be a citizen’s most vital duty.

• Citizens should be informed about issues and candidates before voting.

• Americans may choose to campaign for candidates or issues.

• Many people help campaigns by giving money to political action committees (PACs).

Americans can influence government and help the community.

• Work with interest groups, groups of people who share a common interest that motivates them to take political action

• Write letters to government leaders

• Attend city council meetings

• Volunteer for community service groups

– Neighborhood watch groups can help the police.

– American Red Cross helps people in times of natural disasters and other emergencies.

– Girl and Boy Scouts can help the environment and their community.