American Citizenship, Government, and the

EconomyGPS Standard 7

Terri KerrELHS

What is a citizen?A citizen is a person with certain rights,

duties, and responsibilities under a government. An American is typically a citizen of his/her town, state, and nation.

There are 4 ways you can be an

American citizen.You are born in the

United States or in one of its territories (ex. Puerto Rico, military bases)

At least one of your parents is a United States citizen, no matter where you are born!

You go through the naturalization process in order to become a citizen. This means you have to renounce your citizenship in your home country!

You were less than 18 years old when your parents became naturalized citizens.

Steps in the Naturalization ProcessSubmit an application

to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.

Be 18 or older.Reside in U.S. for 5

years and in a state for 3 months.

Have a good moral character (no crimes).

Be loyal to principles of U.S. Constitution.

Be able to read, write, and speech English.

Have knowledge of the history and government of the United States.

Appear before a citizenship court.

Take an oath of loyalty to U.S.

Receive a certificate of citizenship! Congratulations!!Naturalized citizens have all the rights, duties, and

responsibilities of citizens by birth except the right to be President or Vice-President. They lose their citizenship only by choice or if they are convicted of trying to overthrow the government.

The Rights of a U.S. CitizenCitizens’ rights are based on the fundamental beliefs

and values Americans share: equal respect, freedom, equality, and justice. They are guaranteed by our Constitution and protected by laws and the courts.

Some examples are:the right to votethe right to hold elected officethe right to practice your own religionthe right to have a fair trialthe right to say what you think in speech or

writing

The Duties of a U.S. CitizenJust as we have rights as citizens, we also

have duties. Duties are things that we have to do in order to support the government’s efforts to meet our needs as a society.

Duties include:obeying the law.defending the nation.serving on a jury or as a witness in court.paying taxes.attending school.

The Responsibilities of a U.S. Citizen

Responsibilities are fulfilled by choice – they are voluntary. Even so, they are as important as performing our duties.

Examples include:working toward the common good.voting.holding government office.participating in election campaigns.influencing government.serving the community.

The Role of GovernmentKeeping the peace.Protecting the country.Providing necessary services:

ex. roads and schoolMaintaining other institutions.

Forms of GovernmentMonarchy – a monarchy is a form of government in

which all or most of the power is in the hands of one individual, the monarch. The monarch’s power is hereditary. These were once the most common forms of government, but today, true monarchies are rare. On example is Saudi Arabia.

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia &

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain

**Most people think England is a monarchy. They do have a monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, but their form of government is a constitutional monarchy which means the queen’s power is limited by Parliament. Basically, she is the head of state with no power to govern.**

Forms of Government, cont’d.Dictatorship – a dictatorship is a

government controlled by one person, called a dictator. This person has usually taken power by force, not heredity. They are frequently military leaders who rely heavily on the support of the armed forces and the police to maintain power. One of today’s dictators is Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

Forms of Government, cont’d.Democracy – a system where power is

shared by all people. By voting and choosing representatives, people decide how their government will meet their needs and protect their rights and freedoms. The U.S. was the world’s first modern democracy. There are many other examples today such as Germany, Canada, Israel, etc.

The American EconomyAn economy is a system for producing and

distributing goods and services to fulfill people’s wants.

In our economy, each of us is a consumer and many of us are workers.

We exchange goods/services in the market, examples of which can be a store or the stock exchange.

The price is the amount you pay for a good or service. People began by using the barter system, but now we use money.

American Economic FreedomsFreedom to buy or sell goods to anyone you

wish. Also, you have the freedom to charge whatever price you think you can get for them.

Freedom to compete against others who are selling the same good/service.

Freedom to earn a profit.Freedom to own your goods until you sell

them.Freedom to pursue any career you wish.

Your success depends on whether there are jobs available and whether you have the proper training/skills.

FAIRNESSIf you make an agreement, you may not break it.

You may not make a product that does not work the way you say it does.