Citizens Make a Difference

Citizens Can Help Helping others is part of being a good citizen What are some ways you can practice good citizenship? -speak up to make things more fair -obey laws or help change them to make them better By being a good citizen, you make your community a better place to live!

Working Together Citizens can help more by working together Suppose you want to pick up trash at a park. If your classmates helped, the cleanup would go faster!

Common Good When people work together to benefit their community, they work for the common good. The common good is whatever helps the most people in a community. It can mean keeping parks clean, working to change unfair laws, and solving local problems.

Volunteering Some people take part in their school, town, or city by working as volunteers. A volunteer is a person who works freely, without pay. Volunteers care about other people, not just themselves

Students Help Others Turn to page 180 in your Social Studies book to read about a group of students who worked to better their community

Rights and Responsibilities

Rights in Our Democracy United States citizens have many rights Citizens need to know their rights so they can use them wisely

A democracy is a form of government. In a democracy citizens govern themselves. This means that in a democracy citizens choose their own leaders and vote on issues. Does the United States have a democracy? Yes! We vote for leaders and on issues! 9

Ancient Greece had a direct democracy. A direct democracy is a democracy in which citizens vote directly for leaders and issues. Ancient Greece had a direct democracy. 10

representative democracy. A representative democracy is a democracy in which citizens choose leaders to represent them. The United States has a representative democracy. In the United States everyone who is considered a citizen (and is 18 and older) votes for leaders to represent them and their needs. 11

The Constitution The Constitution is the plan for our democracy It states the rights of citizens in the United States

Protect Our Rights! The Constitution says that one job of the government is to protect our rights.

What are the Rights of Citizens? Freedom to Own Property Freedom of Religion Our Rights Freedom of the Press Freedom of Speech Freedom of Assembly

Knowing Our Responsibilities Citizens have many rights, but rights have limits! For Example: You are free to say what you think. However, it is against the law to shout “Fire!” in a public place when there is no fire.

Knowing Our Responsibilities Rights come with responsibilities! A responsibility is something you should do for the common good. Every person has responsibilities. Rights + Responsibility = A Good Citizen!

Our Responsibilities Respect other people’s property 2. Obey the law -You may not take another person’s belongings without their permission 2. Obey the law -A person who does not obey the law may pay a fine or go to jail. 3. Adult citizens may serve on a jury -A jury is a group of citizens chosen to decide whether a law has been broken Adult citizens may vote

Respect other people’s right to practice their religion Rights Responsibilities Say what you think Speak truthfully Vote for leaders Be protected by laws Obey or change laws Trial by jury Serve on a jury Practice religion Respect other people’s right to practice their religion

Key Terms Election: the process by which citizens vote for people to represent them Tax: money citizens and others pay to the government

Citizens Decide Our country is a democracy. In democracies, citizens decide what the government will do.

How Do We Decide? Elections

Electing Representatives In the U.S. we choose people to represent, or speak for us. We choose these people by voting in elections.

How Do Elections Work? Citizens ask questions. They try to learn all that they can about the candidates before they vote. -How might a leader improve services? -Would a leader spend more money on schools? Then, the election is held. Citizens vote. The votes are counted. The person with the most votes wins the election. 3. The winner represents the people of that area in government.

Paying for Services To pay for services the government collects taxes. People pay taxes on houses, land, businesses, and goods that they buy. Tax money is used to pay for services like road repair, trash collection, and running water.

People and businesses pay Police and Fire Protection How Taxes Work Taxes pay for these services Library People and businesses pay taxes to government Citizens Schools Businesses Police and Fire Protection

Branches of Government Most governments have different parts or branches. Each branch has different responsibilities.

State Government

Key Terms Capitol: the building where leaders meet to make laws Governor: the leader of a state’s government

What is State Government? Each state has its own constitution This is the plan for the state’s government

State Leaders Citizens elect people to lead their state government

The Capitol State leaders work in the state capitol. The capitol is the building where leaders meet to make the laws. Our capitol building is in Atlanta.

Branches of State Government Every state government has 3 branches. All three branches work together to run the state.

Branches of State Government Lawmakers Governor Courts State Government

Lawmakers Lawmakers write laws that they think will improve the state. In Georgia, lawmakers are members of the General Assembly. The General Assembly has 2 parts: 1. Senate 2. House of Representatives

General Assembly Members of the General Assembly represent the people of their city or town. They tell other state lawmakers what their cities or towns need.

If lawmakers vote for a law it goes to the……

Governor! The governor’s main job is to carry out state laws. The governor signs laws to make them official. Governors can veto (stop) new laws.

Courts Judges in a court make sure laws follow the state and national constitutions. Judges also decide whether state laws have been broken.

State Government Lawmakers Governor Judges Make sure laws follow state and national constitutions Decide punishment when laws are broken Write new laws Rewrite old laws Vote on laws Signs laws Carries out laws Selects state workers to head departments

State Services One responsibility of state government is to provide services to citizens. State roads Schools The government pays for these services with taxes. Georgia’s governor plans how the state will spend the tax money.

Departments Georgia has departments that are in charge of different services The governor chooses people to run the departments Ex: - One department hires state police One department helps protect state land and water from pollution One department decides what you should learn in school each year

The States and the Nation Each state is part of a nation State governments cooperate with the national government. Ex: The national and state governments have created highways that cross the U.S. Workers from different states, including Georgia have planned, built, and fixed the highways. Workers from the national government have made sure the plans for highways are safe.

National Government

Branches of National Government The national government has 3 branches. All three branches work together to run the nation.

Key Terms Legislative Branch: branch of government that makes the nation’s laws Executive Branch: branch of government that carries out the laws Judicial Branch: branch of government that decides what the laws mean and whether they obey the Constitution Separation of Powers: the three branches have different powers and different jobs to do Monument: a building or statue that helps people remember a person or event.

*The main role is to protect citizens’ rights! The Constitution The Constitution describes the role of each branch. *The main role is to protect citizens’ rights!

Legislative Branch Congress Makes the nation’s laws

Congress Congress is divided into 2 parts: House of Representatives Senate

Congress meets in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. Meeting Place Congress meets in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.

Executive Branch Carries out the laws The President heads this branch

The President After Congress has written a law it goes to the president The president approves the law or rejects the law. If the law is approved the president makes sure it is carried out.

Where Does the President Live? The President lives and works in the white house

Judicial Branch Courts Decide what laws mean and whether they obey the constitution The Supreme Court heads this branch

The Supreme Court meets in the Supreme Court Building Meeting Place The Supreme Court meets in the Supreme Court Building What does this building remind you of?

Who Pays for the Branches? Tax dollars! Taxes pay for the military that protects the country. They also pay for departments and services.

Separation of Powers Separation of powers limits what each branch can do Each branch has its own job to do Protects rights in a democracy If one branch had too much power it could take over the government Ex: Congress makes laws, but they cannot decide if a law follows the Constitution.

Separation of Powers Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch Congress The President The Supreme Court Makes laws Makes laws Makes laws Carries out laws Carries out laws Carries out laws Decides what laws mean Decides what laws mean Decides what laws mean