1. Citizenship

2. What is citizenship? Definition- to be a member of a nation or country, and to have full rights and responsibilities under the law Three ways of becoming a citizen: Law of the Soil- any person born on American soil (either the mainland US or one of it’s territories) automatically becomes a citizen Law of Blood- any person born outside the US to parents who are American citizens automatically become a citizen at birth Naturalization

3. To be naturalized, you must Be over 18 years old Have been a permanent resident of the US for 5 years Have good character Speak English Pass a civics test and interview Final step- take an Oath of Allegiance swearing loyalty to the US and the Constitution

4. Oath of Allegiance "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”

5. Rights of Citizens Things you are allowed to do because of the law/nature (natural rights…thanks John Locke) Guaranteed by the Constitution/Bill of Rights Also: Voting Running for office

6. Duties of Citizens Things we are required to do Obeying the laws Federal, state, and local Paying taxes Defending the nation Selective service/conscription Serving in court As a witness or on a jury Attending school

7. Responsibilities of Citizens Things we should do on a voluntary basis to be a good citizen Vote Federal, state, and local elections Stay informed of the issues affecting your country/community Participate in/influence government Express opinions to elected officials- call, write, etc Hold office Respect the rights of others Work toward a common good

8. Voting Voting requirements Be a US Citizen Be 18 years old (26 th Amendment) Register to vote Be a resident of a state (usually for at least 30 days) People who can’t vote People in mental institutions People convicted of serious crimes Prisoners can’t vote (except in Maine and Vermont) In NY, felony disenfranchisement ends after parole is completed Anyone dishonorably discharged from the armed forces

9. Why should you vote? Need to participate in issues of great importance By voting, people can make sure that their opinion is shared with community leaders Decide how their cities, counties, states and the country should be governed and by whom.

10. Voter turnout significantly decreases in off-year elections, congressional elections held in years when there is no presidential election. http://www.electproject.org/

11. Register to Vote http://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingRegister.html