NC General Curriculum for Elementary Educator License Help Site: History and Social Science

  1. Home
  2. Indigenous Peoples Before the Arrival of Europeans
  3. European Exploration
  4. Colonization
  5. The Revolutionary War
  6. Key Developments in the Formation of the National Government (including Founding Documents)
    1. Founding Documents
    2. Types of U.S. Government
      1. Three Branches of Government
        1. Legislative Branch (Federal, State)
        2. Judicial Branch (Federal, State)
        3. Executive Branch (Federal, State)
    3. Responsibilities of U.S. Citizenship
  7. Settlement of the West and Overseas Expansion
  8. The Civil War and Reconstruction
  9. The Industrial Revolution
  10. The Progressive Era, Depression, and the New Deal
  11. Emergence of U.S. as a world power
  12. Civil Rights
  13. U.S. world leadership (collapse of Soviet Union to the present)
  14. World History (Major Developments and Key People)
  15. Geography
  16. Economics (Basic Terms and Issues)
  17. Interactive Sites (Survey Sites that Cover Multiple Time Periods)

Responsibilities of U.S. Citizenship

GENERAL CURRICULUM TEST OBJECTIVE : 0007  Understand the founding documents and governmental systems of the United States; the principles, ideals, rights, and responsiblities of U.S. Citizenship

  • Recognize the responsibilities of U.S. citizens (e.g., paying taxes, jury duty, voting)

All citizens of the United States have responsibilities and duties. A person can become a U.S. citizen in one of two ways: 1) they can be born in the country or 2) become "naturalized" as one born outside the country but desiring citizenship.

As citizens in a democratic society, American citizens are expected to follow the laws, and be vigilant that their rights as citizens are being upheld by their goverment and its representatives. They are also expected to participate in the democratic process with the most basic action being that of voting. They are expected to inform themselves of information important to all citizens.

Political parties did not exist during most of the colonial period because the majority of colonists were like-minded. In the middle of the 1700's, when England's political policies became more harsh, two factions appeared in the colonies. One faction favored home government and they were called the "Tories" and another favored self government and they were called the "Whigs".

The United States operates with a two party political system; the two dominant parties today are the Democrats (the oldest and largest whose platform generally supports a large central government, government funded social projects, and "left" leaning politics) and the Republicans or GOP (Grand Old Party - the 2nd largest party whose platform generally supports fiscal conservatism, side supply economics, and "right" leaning politics). It is important to note that the platforms of the two major parties have changed over time. 

Additional parties exist but are smaller in influence and popularity. Examples include the Libertarian Party, whose platform supports minimal regulation and hands-off policies and civil liberties and the Green Party, whose platform supports environmentalism, non-hierarchical democracy, social justice, and non-violence. Citizens may also run for election to any office as an independent, or third-party, candidate.

Resources:

https://www.icivics.org/curriculum/citizenship-participation

https://www.icivics.org/games/responsibility-launcher

https://youtu.be/VH46Ogc3UN0
File Attachments:
  1. Political Process Chart.jpg Political Process Chart.jpg
Author: Janet Painter
Last modified: 10/3/2016 10:56 AM (EDT)