Civics

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Civics
2
Motivation

• What do you think your responsibilities as U.S.
  citizens are and what your governments
  responsibilities to its citizens are?
• This lesson deals with these questions.

3
Lesson overview

• What is civics?
• Why is government needed?
• What are the functions of government?
• What are the levels of government?
• What are the types of governments?

4
Lesson overview (contd)

• What are the principles of American democracy?
• Who are America's citizens?
• Who are the aliens in America?
• What are a citizen's legal duties?

5
Lesson overview (contd)

• What are a citizen's civic responsibilities?
• Why do citizens need to be involved?
• Where can volunteers donate their time?
• What are the benefits of volunteering?

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Quick Write

• Write down what you know about our democratic
  government. Consider how living in a
  democracy affects your life.

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What is civics?

• Civicsthe study of the rights and duties of
  citizens
• Citizensowe loyalty to their government and
  receive its protection
• Citizens follow a set of rules and accept the
  government's authority.

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Why is government needed?

• Governmentthe ruling authority for a community
• Government helps people live together peacefully
  and productively.

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What are the functions of government?

• Keeping order
• Providing security
• Providing public services
• Guiding the community by developing public policy

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What are the functions of government? (contd)
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What are the levels of government?

• National government in Washington, D.C.
• State governments in each of the 50 states
• Local governments for counties, cities, and towns
• No lower level can go against the laws and
  authority of the national government.

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What are the types of governments?

• Dictatorshipcontrol by one person or a small
  group of people (Cuba)
• Democracyrule by the people (United States)
• Direct democracyall the citizens vote firsthand
  (ancient Athens)

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What are the types of governments? (contd)

• Representative democracycitizens choose a
  smaller group to govern but are the source of the
  government's authority (United States)
• U.S. citizens elect presidents and members of
  Congress but express their opinions by contacting
  their representatives.

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What are the principles of American democracy?

• The power of government comes from the citizens.
• Americans run the government through elected
  representatives.
• The governments purpose is to improve life in
  the United States.
• Elections are free, fair, and competitive.

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What are the principles of American democracy?
(contd)

• Competing political parties are an important part
  of democracies.
• Individuals are free to develop their own
  capacities.
• Majority ruleabiding by what most people want
  while respecting minority rights

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What are the principles of American democracy?
(contd)
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Who are America's citizens?

• Citizens are those born in the United States or
  to parents who are citizens.
• Foreigners become citizens through
  naturalization.
• Aliens come to the U.S. for a short time and
  return home without becoming citizens.
• Immigrants move permanently to a new country and
  can apply for citizenship.

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Who are America's citizens? (contd)
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Who are America's citizens? (contd)

• Only the federal government can grant citizenship
  and take it away.
• State governments can deny some privileges of
  citizenship, such as voting, but cannot deny
  citizenship itself.
• In most cases, the only way to lose U.S.
  citizenship is to voluntarily give it up. Once
  given up, it cannot be gotten back.

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Who are the aliens in America?

• About 675,000 immigrants enter the United States
  each year.
• Priority is given to people with
• Particular skills
• Particular talents
• Money to invest in the U.S. economy
• Relatives who are US citizens

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Who are the aliens in America? (contd)

• The 5 to 6 million illegal aliens in the United
  States come for work and a better life but often
  have a difficult time.
• Low-paying jobs
• Fear of being deported

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Who are the aliens in America? (contd)

• Aliens can lead lives much like U.S. citizens.
• They can hold jobs and own property.
• But they may not
• Vote in elections
• Run for office
• Serve on juries
• Work in most government jobs
• They must carry identification cards at all times.

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What are a citizen's legal duties?

• Obeying laws
• Paying taxes
• Defending the nation
• Serving in court
• Attending school

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What are a citizen's civic responsibilities?

• Being informed about what the government is doing
  
• Voting in elections
• Respecting the rights of other people
• Respecting public property and the property of
  others

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What are a citizen's civic responsibilities?
(contd)

• Respecting the practices and traditions of others
• Contributing to the common good

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Why do citizens need to be involved?

• Volunteers make communities better places to
  live.
• The value of time volunteered by Americans has
  been increasing since 1987. In 1998, it was about
  225 billion.

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Why do citizens need to be involved? (contd)
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Why do citizens need to be involved? (contd)
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Why do citizens need to be involved? (contd)

• Governments
• Have limited resources
• Are bureaucracies
• Cannot always respond quickly or efficiently to
  social problems

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Why do citizens need to be involved? (contd)

• People and businesses
• Have time and money to donate
• Small businesses may
• Sponsor a sports team
• Donate prizes for a fund-raiser
• Large companies often
• Contribute to community projects
• Offer college scholarships

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Where can volunteers donate their time?

• Some people want a personal connection to a cause
  and may work within their own community.
• Others volunteer through more formal channels,
  such as charitable organizations.

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Where can volunteers donate their time? (contd)

• Places to volunteer include
• Homeless shelters
• Special Olympics
• Senior citizen centers
• Environmental organizations

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Where can volunteers donate their time? (contd)

• Volunteer activities include
• Preparing and distributing meals
• Tutoring a child or new immigrant
• Cleaning up trails
• Helping at a campaign office
• Holding elective office

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Where can volunteers donate their time? (contd)

• National service programs include
• The Peace Corps
• AmeriCorps
• The Senior Corps
• USA Freedom Corps

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What are the benefits of volunteering?

• Improvements to communities
• New opportunities to learn, make friends, and
  improve skills
• Satisfaction from knowing that a difference has
  been made in someones life

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What are the benefits of volunteering? (contd)

• Learning something new about an organization or
  about life itself
• Beats boredom
• Deal with ones own problems better
• Explore various careers

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Lesson review

• Civics is the study of the rights and duties of
  citizens.
• Government is needed to make and enforce laws on
  behalf of the people.
• Governments functions include keeping order and
  providing security, providing public services,
  and developing public policy.

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Lesson review (contd)

• Three levels of government in the United States
  national, state, and local
• Two types of governments dictatorships and
  democracies
• Dictatorship control by one person or a small
  group of people

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Lesson review (contd)

• Direct democracy all citizens take part in
  government matters and vote firsthand
• Representative democracy citizens choose a
  smaller group of people to represent and govern
  them

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Lesson review (contd)

• Principles of American democracy
• Free, fair, and competitive elections
• Equal weight to every citizens vote
• Majority rule with respect for minority rights

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Lesson review (contd)

• Other principles of American democracy include
• The rule of law
• Limited government
• Consent of the governed
• Protection of individual rights
• Representative government

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Lesson review (contd)

• American citizens have been born on U.S. soil or
  born to U.S. citizens.
• Naturalization is the legal process by which
  foreigners become American citizens.
• Aliens are people who live in the United States
  but are not U.S. citizens.

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Lesson review (contd)

• The millions of illegal aliens who live in the
  United States risk being deported.
• Legal aliens lead lives much like American
  citizens, but they do not have full political
  rights and must carry I.D. cards at all times.

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Lesson review (contd)

• A citizens legal duties include
• Obeying laws
• Paying taxes
• Defending the nation
• Serving in court
• Attending school

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Lesson review (contd)

• A citizens civic responsibilities include
• Being informed
• Speaking up and voting
• Respecting others rights
• Respecting diversity
• Contributing to the common good
• Citizens need to be involved because the
  government cannot provide everything that
  communities need.

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Lesson review (contd)

• Volunteers work with charitable groups,
  school-based programs, and national service
  programs.
• Benefits of volunteering include
• Opportunities to learn, make friends, and explore
  careers
• Improving teamwork, leadership, and
  problem-solving skills

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Summary

• What is civics?
• Why is government needed?
• What are the functions of government?
• What are the levels of government?
• What are the types of governments?

48
Summary (contd)

• What are the principles of American democracy?
• Who are America's citizens?
• Who are the aliens in America?
• What are a citizen's legal duties?

49
Summary (contd)

• What are a citizen's civic responsibilities?
• Why do citizens need to be involved?
• Where can volunteers donate their time?
• What are the benefits of volunteering?

50
Next

• Done The duties and responsibilities of
  citizenship
• Next The Constitution of the United States