1. Chapter 15.1 Citizenship
Though the Constitution guarantees freedoms to all people in this country, becoming a full participant in the U.S. democratic system requires citizenship.

2. What is citizenship? Citizenship
the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, or national community
Comes with civic responsibilities
Understanding and obeying the law
Respecting the rights of others
Paying taxes
Voting

3. How do you become a citizen?
3 ways to become a citizen:
Be born to U.S. citizens anywhere and claim U.S. citizenship
Be born in the U.S. or a territory of the U.S.
Naturalization

4. My parents are American, so that makes me American!!
Congress has allowed a person born in a foreign country to become a U.S. citizen
IF either Mom or Dad is American.
Called jus sanguinis
“law of the blood”

5. Are there limitations to children born in other countries to American parents?
YES!
A child who has 1 parent who is a U.S. citizen:
only becomes a citizen if that parent is a U.S. citizen, plus…
Parent had to live in U.S. for 5 years as an adult over 14
To maintain citizenship, child must move to America and live there for at least 2 years between the ages of 14 and 28.

6. What if I’m born in a U.S. territory?
YES!
If you are born to American citizens in
Panama
Guam
American Samoan Islands
Virgin Islands
YOU ARE A CITZEN!
Called “jus soli”
Law of the soil

7. What if I’m born here, but my parents are from another country?
Yes!
You are a citizen of the U.S.A.
You can claim dual citizenship
U.S. citizenship + parents’ country’s citizenship

8. Is there another way to gain citizenship?
Yep!
Called naturalization.
Legal process by which immigrants become citizens.
Why on Earth would someone want to become American?

9. Why come to America?
In the beginning,
We simply wanted freedom!

10. Then, we built a nation based on “freedoms”
People wanted to come to U.S. to find a better life for them and their families!
Why?
Because not everywhere is as good as America.

11. Birth of New York Thank goodness for the Irish….
Helped develop the work ethic of our nations capital!
Also developed the 5 burroughs on NY!
Bronx
Manhattan
Brooklyn
Queens
Staten Island
Why did they come?
Potato Famine

12. Over the next 100 years, Europe tried destroying itself….twice!

13. Immigrants fled to America to flee:
War in own countries!
Over 100 million people migrated to U.S. from 1914 to 1945

14. Immigrants fled to America to flee:
Jobs!
America was growing too fast and didn’t have enough workers!
Thank goodness for immigrants!

15. Immigrants fled to America to flee:
Land!
Most of America was still being developed!
Between 1900 and 1950
This is when most of the Midwest became heavily populated!
Why was their country so bad?

16. Because it was overpopulated!

17. Immigrants fled to America to flee:
Safety
Most people just want a chance of a better life…
Shouldn’t we give people that chance?
Since we came here on a chance ourselves?

18. What about today?