Mr. Morris Civics & Economics Civics in Our Lives Mr. Morris Civics & Economics

Key Vocabulary Civics Citizen Government Values

Why Study Civics? Civics is the study of citizenship and government. It is the study of what it means to be a citizen A citizen is a legally recognized member of a country Would someone visiting the United States from Europe be considered a US citizen?

Being a Citizen The Romans used the term citizen to differentiate between people who lived in the city and those they had conquered. Only men could be citizens in Rome Citizens in Rome could vote and had a say in how the country was run Roman citizens also had duties, such as paying taxes, attending assemblies, and serving in the army.

Citizens Today Today, citizenship differs depending on the country you are in. Some countries still do not allow their citizens to vote. Women are now accepted as citizens Most countries still require taxes In Israel, everyone must serve in the military, men and women.

Government The rights and duties of a citizen is different depending on the country’s type of government. Government is the organizations, institutions, and individuals who exercise political authority over a group of people

Being an American Citizen Under our system of government, citizens have many rights and responsibilities American citizens must be productive and active members of society. Examples: belonging to a family, going to school, working with others, being active in local community.

American Citizens To be an effective American citizen, you must fulfill your duties and responsibilities as a member of you country, state, and community. How can you fulfill some of these duties?

American Citizens While being a citizen has great benefits, it also has costs To be on a jury or volunteer in the community, you must take time out of your day or job Also, running for public office such as mayor, senator, or president takes time and money out of the day.

Rights of Citizens Citizens are guaranteed the right to vote Citizens are allowed to live in the U.S. permanently. Citizens have access to more jobs than those who have not achieved citizenship Government jobs Banks

American Values America has been a great inspiration to other nations American citizenship is based on three basic values that provide the foundation for many of our rights and freedoms: Equality Liberty Justice

Equality Each citizen has the same right to enjoy the benefits granted to all American citizens Everyone is entitled to the right to seek an education or choose a job or career Through equal opportunity laws, any citizen qualified for a job has equal opportunity to secure it, no matter their race, gender, or religious preference.

Liberty Liberty is the freedom to do what we please so long as it does not interfere with the safety or liberty of others Without liberty, we would not enjoy many of the freedoms that we as Americans are accustomed to We all have freedom to get an education, have the job that we want, speak freely, and practice our religions, to name a few.

Justice Police prevent others from violating our rights as citizens, but if those rights are threatened, the United States government has given the courts the power to punish whoever is responsible. Your rights and freedoms cannot be taken from you, but you must be willing to do your part to protect these rights. This is also called your “civic duty”

Qualities of a Good Citizen All citizens must participate in the United States in order for our government to function properly. You need to exercise your “civic duty”

Voting in Elections Voters can elect those who go to represent them at the town, state, and national levels. If a candidate does not do what they promise, they can be voted out in the next elections. This is one way that Americans are allowed to govern themselves

Express Your Opinion As a United States citizen, you should tell elected officials or those who work for them, what you need or if you disagree with something that the government has done. All public officials are working for YOU, so they should lend an ear to you and any problems you have.

Effective Citizens Are responsible family members Respect and obey the law Respect the rights and property of others Are loyal to and proud of their country Take part in and improve life in their communities Take an active part in their government Use natural resources wisely Are informed on key issues and willing to take a stand on these issues Believe in equal opportunity for all people Respect individual differences, points of view, and ways of life that are different from their own.