Chapter 1 Notes

The American People

Big IdeasAs American citizens, we

make a commitment to the nation and to the values and principles that are part of the United States democracy.

Citizens possess certain rights. With citizenship Americans also have certain responsibilities.

People form governments to establish order, provide security, and accomplish common goals.

What is Civics?Civics is the study of the

rights and duties of citizens.

A Citizen is a legal member of a country. Each citizen has certain rights and responsibilities to that country.

Each citizen must agree to follow a set of rules and the accept the government’s authority.

What is a Government?A government is the ruling authority for a

community or society.They have to power to enforce laws.The most important purpose of government is

to provide laws and rules of conduct.

Why Do We Have A Government?

The basic reasons people allow governments to make rules we all have to follow is that the alternative in Anarchy.

Anarchy is the lack of any government, people do whatever they want. Crime is everywhere.

Having a government is a way to keep us all on the same page and provide for some common protections.

What do Governments do?Keep OrderProvide SecurityProvide Some Public

ServicesProtect Consumers

Governments need money to do these things and they get that money through taxation.

They’re supposed to use a budget to limit their spending to what money they have.

Types of GovernmentDirect Democracy: All citizens

debate government matters and vote first hand.

Representative Democracy: Citizens elect people to make laws and govern.

Monarchy: A government with a hereditary ruler, a King, Queen, etc. Passed on in the family.

Constitutional Monarchy: The Monarch is the head of state but must follow a constitution.

Absolute Monarchy: The King has total control and can do whatever they wish.

More Types of GovernmentAuthoritarian: Power is held

by an individual or small group.

Dictatorship: Dictator has complete control over the state, use military or police to hold onto power. Often times they are given power then refuse to give it up, fix elections. May limit freedoms.

Totalitarian: Leaders power extends to almost all aspects of people’s lives. Use propaganda to “brainwash” the people. Strong regulation of businesses and farms

Fidel Castro

Adolf HitlerSaddam Hussein

Joseph Stalin

Who Chooses Our Government?

The American people choose most of our leaders through elections.

The people we elect then appoint people to some other government positions.

Popular Sovereignty is the idea that a government gets the authority to govern by the consent of the governed.

Levels of GovernmentNational/Federal

Government: Makes laws and policy for the entire United States.

State Government: Makes laws for that state only.

Local Governments: Makes laws for that small area (ex. City, County, Township, School Board)

Principles and ValuesNatural born citizens

and new immigrants are expected to follow the laws and societal rules of America.

American culture today is a mixture of old English traditions and bits and pieces brought in from all over the world.

Principles and ValuesPrinciples are beliefs

that individuals or society hold that people use to make judgments and decisions.

Values are broad ideas about what is good or desirable, and are shared by people in a society.

Values influence the way we act.

Important InstitutionsInstitutions are ideas

that people have about certain things.

Some important institutions in the US are:

The FamilyReligious InstitutionsEducational

InstitutionsSocial Institutions

The First AmericansAnthropologists believe that the first Americans arrived

from Europe between 10,000 and 30,000 years ago from Asia.

That population migrated throughout North, Central and South America in the years that followed.

There were millions of “Native Americans” living in America when the first Europeans arrived in the lave 1400’s.

A Nation of ImmigrantsEuropeans began

exploring America and trading with the natives in the late 1400’s and through the 1500’s.

Europeans began building permanent settlements in America in the early to mid 1600’s.

Most early immigrants were from Britain, Holland, Germany, France, and Spain.

A Nation of ImmigrantsIn the centuries that

followed, England gained control of most of North America. Most American values, traditions, and our language stem from England.

Over time people came or were brought to America from Africa, Europe, Asia, and every other corner of the world.

Two ways to become an American

Anyone born on United States soil is automatically considered a citizen of the United States.

Naturalization is a legal processthat foreign born people can go through in order to become a legal citizen of the United States.

Steps to NaturalizationSign a Declaration of

IntentLive in the US for 3-5

yearsTake special classesFile an application for

citizenshipGo through an interview

and examinationTake the citizenship testTake the Oath of

Allegiance

Aliens vs. ImmigrantsAliens are people born

outside of the US that come here for a while then return to their home country.

Immigrants are people that move from one country to another with the intent of staying there to live.

Some do so legally and follow the process.

Others do so illegally and live in the country illegally.

Who gets in?Several million people try to

become citizens each year but roughly one million are admitted.

They tend to be people that have special job skills who want to work, or people related to citizens.

12 Million illegal aliens live in the US today.

Most say they came for work and a chance at a better life.

If caught, many will be deported to their home country.