GPS Standard 7
Pat Jordan
ELHS
 SSCG7 The student will describe how thoughtful
and effective participation in civic life is
characterized by obeying the law, paying taxes,
serving on a jury, participating in the political
process, performing public service, registering for
military duty, being informed about current issues,
and respecting differing opinions.
 EQ: What does being a responsible citizen mean?
-What are the similarities and differences between
rights, duties and responsibilities?
What is a citizen?
 A citizen is a person with certain rights, duties, and
responsibilities under a government. An American is
typically a citizen of his/her town, state, and
nation.
There are 4 ways you can be an
American citizen.
 You are born in the
 You go through the
United States or in one
of its territories (ex.
Puerto Rico, military
bases)
 At least one of your
parents is a United States
citizen, no matter where
you are born!
naturalization process in
order to become a
citizen. This means you
have to renounce your
citizenship in your home
country!
 You were less than 18
years old when your
parents became
naturalized citizens.
Steps in the Naturalization Process
 Submit an application to
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the U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Service.
Be 18 or older.
Reside in U.S. for 5 years
and in a state for 3 months.
Have a good moral
character (no crimes).
Be loyal to principles of
U.S. Constitution.
 Be able to read, write, and
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speech English.
Have knowledge of the
history and government of
the United States.
Appear before a citizenship
court.
Take an oath of loyalty to
U.S.
Receive a certificate of
citizenship!
Congratulations!!
Naturalized citizens have all the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens by birth except
the right to be President or Vice-President. They lose their citizenship only by choice or if they
are convicted of trying to overthrow the government.
The Rights of a U.S. Citizen
 Citizens’ rights are based on the fundamental beliefs and
values Americans share: equal respect, freedom,
equality, and justice. They are guaranteed by our
Constitution and protected by laws and the courts.
 Some examples are:
the right to vote
the right to hold elected office
the right to practice your own religion
the right to have a fair trial
the right to say what you think in speech or writing
The Duties of a U.S. Citizen
 Just as we have rights as citizens, we also have duties.
Duties are things that we have to do in order to
support the government’s efforts to meet our needs as
a society.
 Duties include:
obeying the law.
defending the nation.
serving on a jury or as a witness in court.
paying taxes.
attending school.
The Responsibilities of a U.S.
Citizen
 Responsibilities are fulfilled by choice – they are
voluntary. Even so, they are as important as
performing our duties.
 Examples include:
working toward the common good.
voting.
holding government office.
participating in election campaigns.
influencing government.
serving the community.
The Role of Government
 Keeping the peace.
 Protecting the country.
 Providing necessary services:
ex. roads and school
 Maintaining other institutions.
Forms of Government
 Monarchy – a monarchy is a form of government in which
all or most of the power is in the hands of one individual,
the monarch. The monarch’s power is hereditary. These
were once the most common forms of government, but
today, true monarchies are rare. On example is Saudi
Arabia.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia &
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain
**Most people think England is a monarchy. They do have a monarch, Queen
Elizabeth II, but their form of government is a constitutional monarchy
which means the queen’s power is limited by Parliament. Basically, she is
the head of state with no power to govern.**
Forms of Government, cont’d.
 Dictatorship – a dictatorship is a government
controlled by one person, called a dictator. This
person has usually taken power by force, not heredity.
They are frequently military leaders who rely heavily
on the support of the armed forces and the police to
maintain power. One of today’s dictators is Hugo
Chavez of Venezuela.
Forms of Government, cont’d.
 Democracy – a system where power is shared by all
people. By voting and choosing representatives,
people decide how their government will meet their
needs and protect their rights and freedoms. The U.S.
was the world’s first modern democracy. There are
many other examples today such as Germany, Canada,
Israel, etc.
The American Economy
 An economy is a system for producing and
distributing goods and services to fulfill people’s
wants.
 In our economy, each of us is a consumer and many of
us are workers.
 We exchange goods/services in the market, examples
of which can be a store or the stock exchange.
 The price is the amount you pay for a good or service.
People began by using the barter system, but now we
use money.
American Economic Freedoms
 Freedom to buy or sell goods to anyone you wish. Also,
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you have the freedom to charge whatever price you
think you can get for them.
Freedom to compete against others who are selling the
same good/service.
Freedom to earn a profit.
Freedom to own your goods until you sell them.
Freedom to pursue any career you wish. Your success
depends on whether there are jobs available and
whether you have the proper training/skills.
If you make an agreement, you may not break it.
You may not make a product that does not work the way you say it does.