chapter 7: citizen participation in a democracy denison middle school civics grade 7

Chapter 7:Citizen Participation

in a DemocracyDenison Middle School

Civics Grade 7

Chapter 7 Florida StandardsSS.7.C.2.1

Define the term “citizen,” and identify legal means of becoming a United States citizen.

SS.7.C.2.2

Evaluate the obligations citizens have to obey laws, pay taxes, defend the nation, and serve on juries.

SS.7.C.2.3

Experience the responsibilities of citizens at the local, state, and federal level.

SS.7.C.2.8

Identify America’s current political parties, and illustrate their ideas about government (Political Parties will be covered in more detail in the next chapter of TCI).

SS.7.C.2.14

Conduct a service project to further the public good.

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Section 7.2:Citizenship, Civic Rights, and Civic Responsibilities

Pages 124 - 127

Citizenship, Civic Rights, and Civic Responsibilities

• The U.S. Constitution, as originally written, did not define citizenship.

• When the U.S. Constitution was adopted, it was generally assumed that state citizens would become U.S. citizens.

• It was also assumed that a person born in the United States was a citizen.

• In 1857, the Supreme Court shook up these assumptions in its ruling for the case Dred Scott v. Sandford.

• The Court held that Dredd Scott, an enslaved African American born in Virginia, was not a citizen and therefore could not sue for his freedom in federal court.

If he was not a citizen… what was he then?

The Fourteenth Amendment Defines Citizenship

• The 14th Amendment was adopted to address the issue of citizenship and reverse the Dredd Scott decision.• Ratified in 1868, the Amendment clarified

who was a citizen under the Constitution, stating that all persons born on American soil are to be considered U.S. citizens no matter where their parents were born. • The purpose of the 14th Amendment was

to extend the rights of citizenship to former slaves.

citizenship – the status of being a citizen, a person who by birth or naturalization enjoys certain rights and has certain duties in a nation-state.

African Americans’ Long Struggle for Civil Rights

• The 14th Amendment’s immediate effects were limited.• In the late 1800s, southern

states passed laws, known as Jim Crow laws, that enforced segregation and denied equality to blacks.• It took many decades for the

courts and Congress to overturn those laws.


• Timeline, pages 124 - 125


• An early setback in the struggle for equal rights occurred when the Supreme Court heard Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896• Homer Plessy was a black man who was arrested in Louisiana for sitting in a

whites-only railroad car. Plessy argued the legality of his arrest by stating that the Jim Crow laws that segregated blacks from whites violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

• The Court ruled against Plessy stating that separate facilities for blacks and whites were legal as long as they were equal.• This “separate but equal” doctrine was soon applied to almost every

aspect of life in southern states.


• Despite this decision, African Americans continued to fight for equal rights.• They formed organizations such as the

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Urban League, and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to protest racial discrimination in its many forms.


• In 1954, the NAACP won the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka • The case focused on the rights of a young African

American, Linda Brown, who was prohibited from attending a white school near her home in Topeka, Kansas.

• This time the Supreme Court ruled that “separate but equal” facilities were by their very nature unequal.• This ruling paved the way for desegregation of

public schools and launched the modern civil rights movement.


• During the 1950s and ‘60s, the civil rights movement touched all aspects of American life.• The most prominent leader was

Martin Luther King Jr., who helped make Americans aware of the great injustices imposed on people of color.


• On July, 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law.• This landmark legislation banned discrimination in most

areas of American life on the basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin.• It also committed the U.S. government to protecting the

rights of all Americans, regardless of skin color or country of birth.

Rights and Responsibilities

• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 increased immigration both legal and illegal. • Once in this country, most lawful permanent residents enjoy the

same rights as native-born Americans, including the rights listed in the Bill of Rights, the right to vote, the right to hold public office, and the right to claim social and economic benefits (civic rights).• lawful permanent resident – an immigrant who is legally authorized

to live and work in the United States permanently, but is not a U.S. citizen. Also known as a resident alien or legal resident.

Rights and Responsibilities

• All people living in the United States have certain legal responsibilities.

• They are required to obey laws, pay taxes, and cooperate with public officials.

• All males who are 18 and, whether citizens, lawful permanent residents or undocumented immigrants, must register for military service.

• Citizens have an added responsibility to be informed and participate in public affairs (civic responsibilities).

undocumented immigrant – a person who has come to the United States to live and work without the required legal papers.

Section 7.3:Becoming an

American CitizenPages 127 - 129

American Citizens: Native Born and Naturalized

• By 2003, more than 33 million Americans, or about 12% of the U.S. population, were foreign born.• There are two ways to become a U.S. citizen:

1. by birth (most common)2. by naturalization

• Naturalization - is a multistep legal process that, when completed, gives the applicant virtually all the rights and responsibilities of a native-born citizen.• In 2005, more than 600,000 people became citizens through

naturalization.

American Citizens: Native Born and Naturalized

• Immigrants must meet several requirements for naturalization, including being 18 years of age and a lawful permanent resident of the United States, living in the United States for at least 5 years.• After completing those requirements, the next step is to complete an

application for naturalization.• If the application is approved, the applicant must have an interview with an

immigration official who will then test the applicant’s ability to speak, read, and write English, as well as the applicant’s civics knowledge of American history and government.• The final step in the naturalization process is the citizenship ceremony.• Naturalization gives new citizens the right to vote and run for public office

except that of vice president or president.

The Status of Lawful Permanent Residents

• Immigrants don’t need to become citizens to stay in the United States legally as they may remain as lawful permanent residents indefinitely.• In 2005, the United States granted permanent resident status to over

one million people.• Immigrants seeking permanent resident status must go through an

application process with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.• Preference for residency is given to applicants that possess job skills needed in

the United States and/or have family that are citizens.

• Those who successfully complete the application process receive a green card (i.e.: proof that its holder is a legal resident and has a legal right to live and work in the United States).

The Status of Lawful Permanent Residents

• Resident aliens (lawful permanent residents) enjoy most of the rights of citizens.• These rights include the right to travel freely outside the

country.• If the resident is out of the country for over a year, they must apply

for a reentry permit.• Resident aliens may lose their permanent resident status and

be deported if they are convicted of a crime.

Section 7.4:Political Culture in the United States

Pages 129 - 133

Political Culture in the United States

• Citizens and residents of the United States operate within a political culture.

• Political Culture - is a society’s framework of shared values, beliefs and attitudes concerning politics and government.• It is the political environment in which

Americans exercise their rights and responsibilities.

• Political culture can take many forms and be expressed in many ways• E.g.: The strong surge of patriotism after

the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

Americans’ Shared Political Values

• Although Americans often disagree on specific issues, they share a number of core beliefs and values.• The beliefs listed below shape our political culture:

1. Liberty- Openly express their views without punishment from the government2. Equality- Equality of opportunity without regard to race, religion, or gender3. Democracy- The belief that political authority comes from the people4. Individualism- Belief of personal freedom and responsibility5. Free Enterprise- Support of capitalism and a free-market economy 6. Justice and the rule of law- Society governed by a system of laws that are fairly

and equally applied7. Patriotism- Pride and loyalty towards one’s country8. Optimism- Being upbeat attitude9. Civic duty- Citizens should vote and participate in civic and political affairs

Two Widely Held Ideologies: Liberalism and Conservatism

• Although Americans share a common political culture, they do not all hold to the same ideology (i.e.: basic political beliefs).• Americans often disagree on such things as the role government

should play with respect to economic and moral values.Most people identify their political ideology as being liberal or conservative.


• Liberalism is an ideology that favors an active role for the government in solving society’s problems.• Liberals generally support:• Governments efforts to regulate business and the economy• Policies designed to reduce economic inequality • Providing assistance to the poor• Government regulations to protect the environment and improve the

healthcare system

• Liberals strongly defend liberty and resist governments efforts to interfere in people’s personal lives.


• Conservatism is an ideology that calls for a limited role for government in economic affairs.• Conservatives generally oppose government regulation of business• Most conservatives want to:• Limit the size of government• Reduce taxes• Cut back on government programs

• Compared to liberals, conservatives support government action on moral issues. E.g.: gay marriage and abortion


• Over the past few decades, more Americans have identified themselves as conservatives than as liberals.• Since the 1960s,the percentage of Americans self-identifying

themselves as conservatives has varied between 30% and 40%.• Liberals remained constant around 20%.

Three Other Ideologies: Socialism, Liberalism, and

Environmentalism• The main goal of socialism is to limit economic inequality by ensuring a

fair distribution of wealth.• In a socialist system, the government owns or controls most of the

economic resources needed for the production of goods and services.• Socialism never became as popular in the United States as it did in other

countries, in part because it conflicted with America’s political culture.• Most American socialists today support what is known as democratic

socialism.• i.e.: This is an ideology that advocates socialism as a basis for the economy and

democracy as a governing principle.


Environmentalism• Modern libertarianism is an

ideology based on a strong belief in personal freedom.• Libertarians tend to be conservative

on economic issues and liberal on social issues.• E.g.: They favor lower taxes and a free-

market economy, while opposing bans on abortion and gay marriage.

• Libertarians want a small government and resist government regulation of any kind.


Environmentalism• Environmentalism unites Americans who are

deeply concerned about the conservation and protection of the environment.• Environmentalists advocate policies

designed to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.• In contrast to libertarians, environmentalists

support government regulation of industry and the economy to achieve those ends.

The Modern in the Middle: Centrism

• Most Americans fit neatly into any ideological camp.• These people consider themselves moderates, or middle-of-the-road

voters.• Centralists typically hold a mix of liberal and conservative views.• At election time, these voters often cross party lines, depending on

the candidates and the issues of the day.

Section 7.5:How Americans

Engage in Civic LifePages 133 - 137

How Americans Engage in Civic Life

• There are many ways to become an active citizen engaged in civic life including voting, reading or watching the news to stay informed, talking to friends about political issues, volunteering in the community or writing a letter to a public official.

Civic Society: The “Social Capital” of Democracy

• Some argue that social clubs and civic organizations are the building blocks of what political scientists call civil society, (i.e.: the voluntary associations and institutions that exist between government and individuals).• Citizen involvement helps expand a society’s social capital (i.e.: the

“connection among individuals” that are forged through their participation in voluntary associations).• E.g.: participation in a school’s PTA creates a social network that leads to an

exchange of information about participant’s community

Four Categories of Civic Engagement: Which One fits

you?• How engaged are most Americans?• Electoral specialists - Main engagement is through the election

process. E.g.: voting.• Civic specialists - People in this group are focused on improving their

community and helping others. E.g.: joining a local civic group.• Dual activists - This category is made up of people who are engaged

both in the electoral and civic activities.• The disengaged - Made up of people who are not significantly

engaged in civic affairs. They do not vote or pay attention to civic affairs.

chapter 7: citizen participation in a democracy denison middle school civics grade 7

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