We’ve been talking a lot about the rights of citizens of the United States. The government is there to serve the citizens. It protects us and keeps order. As citizens, we play an active part in our government. We are expected to carry out our duties and responsibilities.

Duties: Things the law requires us to do
Responsibilities: Things we should do

Carrying out our duties and responsibilities helps us take part in ensuring that we have a good government and that our rights are always upheld.

Duties
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duties

One obvious duty of U.S. citizens is to obey the law. Laws maintain order, protect us as well as our property, and keep the peace. If you break the law, you endanger others. You also interfere with the smooth running of society. If you disagree with a law, you can work to have it changed. You can elect representatives who will improve it.

Another duty citizens have is to defend our nation. All males 18 or over must register with our government. If the need arises due to war, our government may issue a draft that requires military service of these people.

Citizens also must pay taxes. Tax money is used to pay for our nation’s defense system, build roads and bridges, and provide healthcare for the elderly.

Finally, the Constitution ensures that those accused of crimes have a right to a trial by a jury of their peers. Because of this, you can expect to be called at some point to serve on a jury.

Also, if you are called to serve as a witness on a trial, you have a duty to do this.

Visit this link to read what Thomas Jefferson had to say about the duties of citizens: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1700.htm. 

Responsibilities
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/citizenship/responsibilities.html 

The responsibilities of a citizen are a little less clear cut. If you don’t carry out your responsibilities, no one is going to arrest you. However, keep in mind that the quality of the government and of your own life has a lot to do with citizens carrying out their responsibilities.

One of the most important responsibilities is to vote. You have the opportunity to have a say in who will represent you in government. You can also work on the political campaign of someone you want to see in office. Or, you can run for public office yourself!

In order to vote, you need to

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be a resident of the United States

One other responsibility you have as a citizen is to voice your opinion. It’s important to keep yourself updated on government policy and to speak out if you disagree with it, or if the government has failed to carry out its obligations. If enough people speak out about something, the government tends to follow their wishes. So how do you voice your opinion? Use letters, emails, phone calls, and petitions to get your point across.

Some other ways you can participate in your government are by volunteering to clean up your community or help out at a local hospital. There are many ways you can make your government and your community better.

Naturalization
We in the United States have a great system of laws in place that protect us and promote our life, liberty, and happiness. Because of this, many people in other nations want to become citizens of the United States. First of all, let’s talk about what makes a citizen different from a non-citizen.

A citizen is a person who is entitled to the protection of a state or government. A citizen also owes loyalty to this state or government. Non-citizens do not enjoy the freedoms, protections, or responsibilities of citizens.

Anyone who is born within the borders of the United States is considered a citizen. A person born outside the borders can also have citizenship, as long as one parent is a U.S. citizen. Anyone who doesn’t fall into these two categories can seek citizenship through a process called naturalization.

To become a citizen, a person has to:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have been lawfully living as a resident in the U.S. for at least 5 years
• Be of good moral character and accept the Constitution
• Be able to read, write, speak, and understand English
• Demonstrate an understanding of the history and principles of the U.S. and its government
• Be willing to promise to obey the Constitution and laws of the U.S.

Once a person has fulfilled all these requirements, he or she would

1. File an application.
2. Take a naturalization examination.
3. Appear for a court hearing.

for Students, Parents and Teachers

Now let's do Practice Exercise 2-2 (top).