The Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship

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The Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship

• Duties and Responsiblities

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A Citizens Legal Duties

• Each of us belongs to many communities
• - neighborhood
• - town, city
• - school
• - church
• - state
• - country
• As community members, we have many
  responsibilities things we should do or
  obligations that we fulfill voluntarily

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A Citizens Legal Duties

• As citizens, we also have duties things we are
  required to do.
• We must fulfill duties required by national,
  state, and local governments or face fines or
  imprisonment.

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Duties

• Obey the Law
• Serve specific purposes, such as to help people
  get along, prevent accidents, and see that
  resources are used fairly
• Pay Taxes
• - Government uses tax money to pay police,
  pave roads, and maintain armed forces. People
  pay a percentage of what they bring in, or on the
  sale of goods or even property.

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Duties

• Defend the Nation
• - In the U.S. all men aged 18-25 must register
  with the government in case the country needs to
  draft, or call up men for military service today
  military service is voluntary.
• Serve in Court
• - Every adult citizen must be prepared to serve
  on a jury or as a witness at a trial if called to
  do so.

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Duties

• Attend School
• - Most states require young people to attend
  school until the age of 16.

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Civic Responsibilities

• Be Informed
• - Know what the government is doing so that you
  can voice your opinion.
• - People can learn about issues and leaders by
  reading print publications, listening to news on
  the radio or T.V., talking o people, and
  searching the internet
• - Be aware of your rights

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Civic Responsibilities

• Speak Up and Vote
• - Remember, the government exists to serve you,
  but you must make your concerns known.
• - Calling, writing, or sending e-mails to your
  elected representatives joining political
  parties working for a cause
• - VOTE

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Civic Responsibilities

• Respect Others Rights
• - people must respect public property and the
  property of others.
• - vandalizing and littering are not only
  disrespectful but also a crime.

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Civic Responsibilities

• Respect Diversity
• - Although we may disagree with people or
  disapprove of their lifestyles, these people have
  an equal right to their beliefs and practices
• - Tolerance means respecting and accepting
  others, regardless of their beliefs, practices,
  or differences.
• - Diversity in our country is a strength, all
  citizens are equal and entitled to be treated the
  same.

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Civic Responsibilities

• Contribute to the Common Good
• - Contributing time, effort, and money to help
  others and to improve the community life.
• - Be an active participant in your community

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Citizens and the Community

• Americans do volunteer work to help make their
  communities better places to live.
• A community is a group of people who share the
  same interests and concerns.
• Many volunteers today are students between grades
  6-12.

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Citizens and the Community

• Government at all levels, provide many needs for
  the people, but resources are limited.
• Governments are bureaucracies complex systems
  with many departments, rules, and people in the
  chain of command.
• This often makes it difficult for government to
  respond quickly to social problems.

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Citizens and the Community

• Good citizens of this country are concerned about
  the welfare the health, prosperity, and
  happiness of all members of the community.
• Some people participate in the community by
  leading a scout troop others mentor school
  children visit nursing homes and collecting
  canned goods. Ex. PTA

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Citizens and the Community

• Volunteerism is the practice of offering your
  time and services to others without payment.
• Instead of their time, many Americans contribute
  money to charity
• In 2005, people gave more than 250 billion to
  charity. Average 2 of their income.
• Most came from average individual citizens, some
  came from large corporations.

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Citizens and the Community

• Many companies believe in giving back to the
  community.
• Ex. sponsoring a recreational sports team,
  donating prizes for community fund-raisers,
  contributing to college scholarships to students
• Ex. Bentonville, Arkansas Wal-Mart

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Citizens and the Community

• When it comes to volunteering, people are more
  likely to participate when they feel a personal
  connection to a cause or know others involved
  ex. PTA
• There are more than 1 million registered
  charities with the federal government many are
  small and locally based.
• All are dependant on ordinary people giving their
  time.

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Citizens and the Community

• More than half of all U.S. middle schools and
  high schools now arrange community service for
  students from 6-12 grade.
• Several hundred school districts now require high
  school students to volunteer a set number of
  hours to earn a graduation diploma.

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Citizens and the Community

• The federal government has created national
  volunteer programs
• 1961, John F. Kennedy challenged Americans to
  fight poverty, disease, and war in the poorest
  corners of the world.
• Established the Peace Corps which now has 180,000
  members in 138 countries.
• Includes advising farmers, teaching children,
  vaccinations against disease, etc.

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Citizens and the Community

• AmeriCorps was established in 1993. 50,000
  Americans participate.
• Domestically help disaster victims, clean up
  polluted rivers, assist individuals with
  disabilities.
• In exchange, people receive a small living
  allowance and money to help pay for college.

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Citizens and the Community

• Senior Corps established in 1965, is a volunteer
  program for people aged 55 and older. Consists
  of 3 main programs
• - Foster grandparents for children with special
  needs
• - Senior companions for other seniors
• - The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program
  (meals on wheels) or other neighborhood activities

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Citizens and the Community

• USA Freedom Corps was a new program implemented
  by George W. Bush which brought together all
  three programs
• Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps
• Meant to focus on three areas of need
• - responding to national emergencies
• - rebuilding our communities
• - extending American compassion around the world

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Citizens and the Community

• By banding together, we truly serve ourselves.
• The benefits of volunteering
• - make our communities better places to live
• - gain opportunities to learn, make friends,
  improve skills
• - gain the satisfaction of knowing that a
  difference has been made in someone elses life.

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REFLECTION

• WRITE ABOUT ½ PAGE. TELL ME HOW YOU COULD BE A
  GOOD CITIZEN AND WHY