People of the United States enjoy special privileges because they are citizens. The United States grants citizenship to people through the following three ways ~ birth ~ people who are born within the borders of the United States are automatically citizens of the United States. This is NOT true in other countries;

naturalization ~ the process of becoming a citizen when not born as one;

14 th Amendment (1868) ~ after the Civil War, the 14 th Amendment was passed to allow freed slaves to become citizens. It says that anyone born on American soil is a citizen of the United States.

When people enter the US, they can enter legally or illegally. Anyone from another country who moves to live in the United States can be called an alien. Someone who enters the US illegally, is an illegal alien, or an undocumented immigrant.

Files a declaration of intent (fills out a form that says they want to become permanent US citizen).

Attends an interview where they must prove: they can read, write, and speak basic English; they are familiar with US history and government; they have and can keep a job; they are of a good moral character (they are not a criminal, not addicted to drugs, not mentally ill, etc.)

The applicant stands before a judge and takes an oath of allegiance to the United States. The applicant receives a certificate of citizenship and is now a naturalized US citizen.