1. The American People

2. Civics and Citizenship
Civics is the study of the rights and duties of citizens
Citizens are community members who owe loyalty to the government and are entitled to protection from it
Citizenship is the rights and duties of members of a state

3. E pluribus Unum “Out of many, one” – America is a nation of immigrants
Early immigration – starting in the 1600’s people from mainly England and France came to America – in the late 1600’s and the 1700’s, immigrants from Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, and Sweden joined these English settlers
After Independence – in the early to mid 1800’s, many immigrants came from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

4. E pluribus Unum
A shift in Immigration – about 22 million immigrants arrived between 1890 and 1924, most of them came from southern and eastern European countries like Italy, Greece, Poland, and Russia
Asia now is the biggest source of immigrants
Enslaved Africans – Between 1619 and 1808, some 500,000 people were brought to America as slaves from western and central Africa

5. Immigration

6. Immigration

7. A Diverse Population
Ethnic – relation to races or groups of people who share common traits and customs
Many Americans today do not identify themselves as members of a single-ethnic group.
234 million whites of European descent
37 million African Americans
39 million Latinos – people of any race who trace their ancestry to the Spanish-speaking countries
12 million Asians and Pacific Islanders
2.8 million Native Americans

8. Religions as a Percentage of Population
Religious Affiliation, General Population Surveys
ARISa
GSSa
PRCc
Baylord
Christian
76.7%
81.3
81.9
Protestant
49.8%
50.4
53.9
60.7
Catholic
24.5%
25.1
25.2
21.2
Other Christian
2.4%
2.2
Jewish
1.4%
1.9
2.5
Muslim
0.5%
0.7
0.5
Non-affiliated
14.2%
14.2
11.8
10.8
Other/DK
7.2%
7.4
4.5
4.9

9. Religions By State

10. America’s Values
Values – the general principles. Or beliefs, you use to make decisions
Shared values unite Americans
Basic American Values: freedom, equality, opportunity, justice, democracy, unity, respect, and tolerance
A belief in democratic principles like popular sovereignty unites Americans
A shared language (English) also unites Americans

11. American Institutions
Each Society has its own social institutions, or sets of ideas that people have about relationships, obligations, roles, and functions of society
The most important institution in American life is the family
Other institutions include churches, schools, and social institutions like 4-H or Boy Scouts
There are also governmental institutions

12. Who Are America’s Citizens?
The US Constitution provides two ways to become a citizen: by birth and by naturalization.

13. Citizenship By Birth
Citizenship “of the soil” – if you are born anywhere in the United States, in the District of Columbia, in a US territory, or on a US Military base, you automatically become an American Citizen at birth
Citizenship “of the blood” – if at least one of your parents is a citizen who has lived in the US you can become a citizen.
You could also hold dual citizenship if born to US parents abroad

14. The Naturalization Process
Naturalization is the legal process by which an alien obtains citizenship
The person first signs a Declaration of Intention which is filed with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. After five years, three if married to a US citizen, they may file an application for citizenship if they are at least 18
The person then has an interview with an USCIS official and takes an examination
If they pass, they attend a ceremony and take an oath of allegiance - their children obtain it as well

15. Losing Citizenship
Only the Federal Government can grant or take away citizenship
The loss of citizenship through fraud or deception during the naturalization process is called denaturalization
Giving up citizenship by moving to another country is called expatriation. If you become a citizen of another country, you automatically lose your US citizenship
You can lose your citizenship when convicted of certain federal crimes like treason

16. Aliens in America
Alien live in the US to study or work or visit temporarily or with the intention of becoming citizens
Immigrants are people who move permanently to a new country – they intend to apply for citizenship
Resident aliens – a person from a foreign country who has established permanent residence in the US, but does not wish to become a US citizen

17. Aliens in America
Nonresident aliens – a person from a foreign country who expects to stay for a short specified period
Refugees - people fleeing their country to escape persecution – may become citizens or return to their country
Legal Aliens live much like other US citizens working jobs and paying taxes and owning property, but they do not have full political rights.

18. Aliens in America
Illegal Aliens - people who come to this country without permission or who stay longer than they were supposed to.
They get here in many way
They enter legally, but do not leave when their permit is up
They illegally cross our borders
If they are caught they are deported – sent back to their own country

19. The Need for Government
Government is the ruling authority for a community, or society – any organization that has the power to make and enforce, or carry out, laws and decisions for its members acts as a government
What Governments do:
Keep order ex. Pass and enforce traffic laws, establish courts
Provide security ex. Prevents crime, protects citizens from foreign attacks

20. The Need for Government
Provide services – provides libraries, schools, hospitals, parks, water, utilities
Guide the Community –
manage the economy, and conduct foreign relations
they formulate public policy – a course of government action to achieve community goals
they create a budget, or a plan for collection, and spending money

21. Levels of Government National Government (also called Federal)
The government for the entire country
Three branches: legislative, judicial, and executive
The national government has the highest level of authority over its citizens – no state or local government can make any laws that would go against the laws of the national government
The national government provides the basic framework for citizenship

22. Levels of Government State and Local Governments
Each state decides matters for the people in that state
Local government is the level closest to the people
Local government includes counties, cities, and towns
State and local governments, as well as governments of organizations, cannot take actions that go against the laws and authority of the national government

23. Types of Government Democratic Government
Democracy – a government in which citizens hold the power to rule
Direct Democracy – a form of democracy in which the people vote firsthand
Republic (representative democracy) – a system of limited government in which the people are the ultimate source of governmental power – the US is the oldest representative democracy in the world
Constitutional Monarchy – a mostly democratic government with a limited hereditary ruler - England

24. Types of Government Democratic Principles
Rule of law – all people, including those who govern, are bound by the law
Limited government – government is not all- powerful – it may do only those things that the people have given it the power to do
Consent of the governed – American citizens are the source of all government power
Individual rights – in the American democracy, individual rights are protected by government
Representative government – people elect government leaders to make laws and govern on their behalf

25. Types of Government
All genuine democracies have free, fair, and competitive elections “one person, one vote” – voting requirements must be kept to a minimum
Competitive elections and competing political parties are an important element in democracies
Majority rule – citizens agree that when differences of opinion arise, they will abide by what most people want. At the same time, they respect the rights of those in the minority

26. Types of Government
Authoritarian Governments – power is held by an individual or a group not accountable to the people
Absolute Monarchy – when virtually all political power is held by a monarch – Saudi Arabia
Dictatorships – when virtually all political power is held by one individual (the dictator) who usually has taken the power through force – Saddam Hussein
Totalitarianism – when a dictator extends their power to almost all aspects of the people’s lives. Nazi Germany would be an example