1. What it means to be a citizen!
Chapter 24, section 1
What it means to be a citizen!

2. Who is a citizen?
A citizen is a person with certain rights and duties under a government.
Our Constitution says that a citizen of the United States is a person who, by birth or choice, owes allegiance to this nation.

3. Who is a citizen?
3. You are legally an American citizen is any of the following statements is true:
a. You were born in the United States or in one of its territories.
b. At least one of your parents was a United States citizen when you were born. As long as one of your parents in a United States citizen, it doesn’t matter where you were born.
c. You have been naturalized, which means that you have gone through the process of becoming a citizen.
d. You were less than eighteen years old when your parents were naturalized.

4. Becoming a citizen
When an immigrant comes to this country, they are considered an alien.
An alien is a citizen of one country who lives in another country.
As aliens, they have many of the same rights and duties as American citizens.
However, they cannot vote of hold government office.

5. Quick Write
Imagine you were born in another country. (You can pretend you were from any country you want.) Would you want to become an American citizen? Why or why not?
I would want to, because while we have some problems with our society, I still think it’s a great country.

6. Naturalization
To become a citizen, an immigrant goes through a process called naturalization.
Three steps to naturalization:
Application
Examination
Final hearing

7. Naturalized citizens
Naturalized citizens have all the same rights and duties of citizens by birth except the right to be President or Vice President.
Once you are a citizen, you will always be a citizen expect in a few special cases.
Citizenship may be taken away from a person who is convicted of trying to overthrow the United States government by force.
You must have been born in the United States to become the President or Vice President.

8. Qualifications of becoming naturalized
18 or older
Legal residence in the country for 5 years
Good moral character (no crimes)
Ability to read, write, and speak English
Knowledge of the US History and laws in the US

9. The office of citizen
Each citizen holds a very important position of authority.
Abraham Lincoln observed that ours is a government “of the people, by the people, for the people”.
Our government can operate only if we citizens want it to.
Citizens have the power to decide what our government will and will not do.
As citizens, we elect representatives.
Representatives are people who are chosen to speak and act for their fellow citizens in government.

10. The office of citizen
7. Representatives hold office only as long as we want them to. We delegate our power to them. The real power belongs to us. 8. Each of us holds an office, the office of citizen. It is the most important office there is.

11. Exit Slip!
Summarize the four ways in which you can become a U.S. citizen.
1. be born in the U.S.
2. at least one of your parents was a U.S. citizen when you were born
3. become naturalized
4. be less then 18 when your parents become naturalized

12. THINK ABOUT IT...
What would happen if we did not have the opportunity to elect representatives?

13. NATURALIZATION TEST Could you become a U.S citizen???
Immigration-Citizenship-Practice-Test-Questions-Multiple-Choice.html