This section focuses on understanding the rights and responsibilities of American citizens in the world, nation, state, and community. The material presented is designed to help you meet the following objective.
- Compare and contrast the rights and responsibilities of a citizen in the world, nation, state and community.
The Declaration of Independence states that governments derive "their just powers from the Consent of the Governed ."
A government operating according to the will of the people—one that exists to secure the rights of the people—needs actively participating citizens in order to continue to be successful. In general, when someone mentions our government's system of checks and balances they are referring to the three branches of government, but a nation's citizens also play a crucial part in this system via elections and exercising their rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press and of information, to assembly and to petition the government. In order to fulfill this role, it is important that students understand not only our nation's laws, but also the principles upon which those laws are based. The civic values upon which citizenship in the United States is based include individual rights, the common good, self-government, equality, free inquiry, and diversity.
The origin of the word "citizen" is from the Middle English, derived from the Anglo-Norman French citezein, based on the Latin civitas—i.e., city. But the meaning of "citizen" encompasses more than being a city-dweller. At his or her best, a citizen actively participates in his or her political community. At a minimum, a citizen meets the legal requirements of national, state, or local government for citizenship, being either native or naturalized, and gaining rights such as voting and being expected to follow the laws of the land.
Read more about the definition of citizenship here.
https://wethepeople.scholastic.com/grade-4-6/what-citizenship-means.html
