Citizen Me

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:



Define citizenship on five levels (home, school, city, state, nation)



Describe key rights and responsibilities of citizens

Identify the source of rights and responsibilities at each level of citizenship

Recognize conflict between rights and responsibilities

Suggest examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in their own lives

You Are A Citizen

A citizen is a member of a community who has rights and responsibilities.

A community is a group of people who share an environment.

The word “citizen” can have two meanings:



People who live in a certain place or are a member of a certain community.



People who are legally recognized by a nation as owing loyalty to that nation and being entitled to protection by the nation.

Every day, you are part of several different layers of community.

That means you have many different levels of citizenship! At each level, you have rights and responsibilities.

Levels of Citizenship

The people you live with at home make up the smallest “community” you belong to.

Your school or workplace is a community, too.

These are the people you interact with outside your home every day.

You are also a citizen of the city or county where you live.

Our nation is made up of 50 states, a district, and five territories. You’re a citizen of the state or territory

where you live, too!

Levels of Citizenship

Finally, you are a citizen of your country.

To be a citizen of a country, you must be legally recognized by that country.

Usually that happens when you

were born there or you went through a process to become a citizen.

Rights & Responsibilities

Citizens have rights and responsibilities, but where do those rights and responsibilities come from?

That depends on the level of citizenship.

In the United States, at the national level we are guaranteed a list of rights in our Constitution.

The Constitution was written when our nation was born, and it sets the rules for how our nation will run.

Laws passed by the U.S. Congress can also create rights.

Rights & Responsibilities

Each state also has its own constitution and its own set of laws.

State constitutions and state laws contain the rights and responsibilities of state citizens.

Cities often have a city charter that tells how the city will run.

Cities also pass laws, which are usually called ordinances.

Rights & Responsibilities

Most schools have a school handbook that lists the students’ rights and responsibilities.

At home, the adults in charge decide what your rights and responsibilities will be.

Maybe you even have a written list of your responsibilities and what you are allowed to do!

Rights

A right is a privilege or a claim to something.

At the national level, the U.S. Constitution guarantees really big rights such as freedom of expression, freedom to peacefully assemble, freedom to petition the government, freedom of worship, and the right not to have the government search your stuff without a warrant.

In fact, these rights are guaranteed to everyone living in the U.S. — not just U.S. citizens!

Rights that belong only to U.S. citizens include voting in a federal election, serving on a jury, and running for federal political office.

Responsibilities

The U.S. Constitution does not have a list of responsibilities, but it does create a government that can’t work if people don’t participate.

Voting in federal elections and serving on a jury are two responsibilities just for U.S. citizens, and they require participation.

What if nobody showed up to vote?

Or what if they voted without understanding the issues?

How could you have a jury trial if everyone refused to do jury duty?

These are responsibilities U.S. citizens have to both society and the government.

The Constitution also gives Congress the power to make laws, and all U.S. residents have a responsibility to follow the law.

Ted's Big Day!

Ted's Big Day!