Unit 2.3 – Becoming a CitizenDaily Sheet 1

Learning Objective (Write Down)

• Explain how one becomes a citizen of the United States by birth or by choice.• Process of Naturalization

Do Now (Write Down)

• Naturalization: A legal process to obtain citizenship

• Citizenship: Being a member of a country with rights, responsibilities and duties

How does one become a citizen?

• Via citizenship.

How to become a citizen

• By Birth• Be born in the United States

• Unless you were born to foreign diplomats (govt. representative)

• Follows the principle of Jus Soli which is Latin for “law of the soil”

How to become a citizen

• If your parents are American citizens but you are born outside of the US• At least 1 parent must have been a legal

resident of the US or its territories

How to become a citizen?

• If only 1 parent is a citizen, then that parent must have lived in the US or territory for at least 5 years, 2 of which occur after the age of 14

• Follows the principle of Jus Sanguinis which is Latin for “law of blood”

How to become a citizen

• By Choice• Must go through Naturalization• Naturalized citizens cannot be president or

vice president

Naturalization Qualifications

Qualifications:• 1. Applicants must have entered the

US legally• 2. They must be of good moral

character• 3. They must declare their support of

the principles of American govt.

Naturalization Qualifications

• 4. They must prove they can read, write, and speak English• If they are over 50 and lived in US for 20

years, they are exempt from English requirement

• 5. They must demonstrate basic knowledge of US history and govt. (Pass a citizenship test)

Sample Questions

• What is the name of the national anthem?

a) America the Beautifulb) God Bless the U.S.A.c) The Star-Spangled Bannerd) My Country Tis of Thee

Sample Questions

• What is the name of the national anthem?

a) America the Beautifulb) God Bless the U.S.A.c) The Star-Spangled Bannerd) My Country Tis of Thee

Sample Questions

• How old do citizens have to be to vote for the President?

a) 18 yrs. +b) 35 yrs. +c) 16 yrs. +d) 21 yrs. +

Sample Questions

• How old do citizens have to be to vote for the President?

a) 18 yrs. +b) 35 yrs. +c) 16 yrs. +d) 21 yrs. +

Sample Questions

• What is freedom of religion?a) You can't choose the time you

practice your religion.b) No one can practice a religion.

c) You must choose a religion.d) You can practice any religion, or

not practice a religion.

Sample Questions

• What is freedom of religion?a) You can't choose the time you

practice your religion.b) No one can practice a religion.

c) You must choose a religion.d) You can practice any religion, or

not practice a religion.

Sample Questions

• Who does a U.S. Senator represent?a) all people of the state who

belong to the Senator's political party

b) only the people in the state who voted for the Senator

c) the state legislaturesd) all people of the state

Sample Questions

• Who does a U.S. Senator represent?a) all people of the state who

belong to the Senator's political party

b) only the people in the state who voted for the Senator

c) the state legislaturesd) all people of the state

Sample Questions

• Who vetoes bills?a) the President Pro Temporeb) the Speaker of the Housec) the Vice Presidentd) the President

Sample Questions

• Who vetoes bills?a) the President Pro Temporeb) the Speaker of the Housec) the Vice Presidentd) the President

Sample Questions

• The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

a) George Washingtonb) John Adamsc) Thomas Jeffersond) James Madison

Sample Questions

• The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

a) George Washingtonb) John Adamsc) Thomas Jeffersond) James Madison

Who Can’t be Naturalized

• Draft dodgers, military deserters, polygamists, anarchists, Communists, or followers of any other totalitarian system will be denied citizenship.

Steps to Citizenship

• Must be at least 18 years old• Must have lived in the US as a lawfully

admitted resident alien for 30 months out of the previous 5 years

• Must have lived in the state where the petition is filed for at least 3 months

• If married to a citizen you need only 3 years of residency

Video Response

• After witnessing such miserable attempts at answering the questions presented on the citizenship test, what is the most important thing that any new citizen of the United States should know or be able to do?