2. Chapter Introduction
Section 1: Duties and
Responsibilities
Section 2: Citizens and the
Community
Visual Summary

3. As citizens, we are free to
exercise our rights. In return
we are expected to fulfill
certain duties and
responsibilities. By doing so,
we help ensure that our
government will be effective
in serving our needs and
protecting our rights.

4. Section 1:
Duties and Responsibilities
For government to be
effective, citizens must fulfill
their civic duties and
responsibilities. As American
citizens, we enjoy many rights
under our system of
government. Along with those
rights, we also share many
responsibilities. These
responsibilities help protect
our rights.

5. Section 2:
Citizens and the Community
Citizen participation is essential
to the foundation and
preservation of the U.S. political
system. Good citizenship does not
depend on each of us doing only
what we are required to do by law.
The American ideal of citizenship
has always stressed each citizen’s
responsibility to participate in his or
her community.

6. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
For government to be effective,
citizens must fulfill their civic duties
and responsibilities.

7. Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• responsibility • draft
• duty • tolerance
Academic Vocabulary
• global
• income

8. Duties of Citizens
The privilege of U.S. citizenship brings
with it certain duties and
responsibilities.

9. Duties of Citizens (cont.)
• Along with the rights and freedoms
guaranteed in the Constitution, citizens
have responsibilities and duties.

10. Duties of Citizens (cont.)
• Duties required of citizens:
– Obey the law (most important)
– Pay taxes
– Defend the nation
– Volunteer and draft
– Serve in court (as a juror or a witness)
– Attend school (education increases
income and makes better voters)

11. Duties of Citizens (cont.)
• Where does our tax money go?
– Pays government employees
– Maintain armed forces
– Help those in need
– Police and firefighters
– Roads
– Prisons and justice system
– Other programs

12. Civic Responsibilities
The voluntary responsibilities of U.S.
citizens include participating in the
political process and being informed.

13. Civic Responsibilities (cont.)
• Being a good citizen means more than just
doing what is required by law.

14. Civic Responsibilities (cont.)
• Responsibilities:
– Stay informed about government
– Vote (gives elected officials consent to
make decisions)
– Respect others’ rights and show tolerance
– Volunteer and be active in the community
Citizen’s Duties and Responsibilities

15. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
Citizen participation is essential to
the foundation and preservation of
the U.S. political system.

16. Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• bureaucracy
• welfare
• volunteerism
Academic Vocabulary
• percent • domestic
• register • annual

17. Citizen Involvement
By volunteering, we make our
communities better places to live, gain
new opportunities to solve problems,
and learn new things.

18. Citizen Involvement (cont.)
• Volunteers contribute to their communities
and make them better places to live.
• Good citizens in a community:
– Share interests and concerns
– Help one another
– Address many pressing social needs
– Show concern about the welfare of
others

19. Citizen Involvement (cont.)
• Government resources:
– Limited
– Run by large bureaucracies

20. Citizen Involvement (cont.)
• Volunteerism:
– Giving time through activities such as
working at an animal shelter
– Giving money to charity

21. Volunteers in Action
Young people can make a difference by
volunteering.

22. Volunteers in Action (cont.)
• People of all ages, including students,
have many opportunities to contribute to
society by volunteering, helping the
community as well as individuals.

23. Volunteers in Action (cont.)
• Ways of volunteering:
– Charitable organizations
– Community service group at a school
– National service programs
American Volunteers in Action

24. Citizenship
• The combination of
rights, responsibilities,
and duties characterizes
what it means to be a
citizen of a free
democratic society.
• As citizens, we are free
to exercise our rights.
• In return, we are
expected to fulfill certain
duties and
responsibilities.

25. Why Should I Participate?
• A key part of being a good citizen is taking an
active and engaged role in your community.
• A well-planned project gives you opportunities to
practice your rights and responsibilities as a
citizen.
• You make a difference by participating. Your
efforts are needed, valued, and respected.
• When you share your knowledge and skills to help
others, you develop new skills and cultivate new
knowledge.

26. Our Duties
Duties are things we are
required to do by law.
• One of the duties of
all Americans is to
obey the law.
• Americans have a
duty to pay taxes.
• Another duty of
citizenship is to
defend the nation.

27. Our Responsibilities
Responsibilities are things we should do. Civic
responsibilities include:
• being informed;
• speaking up and voting;
• respecting others’ rights;
• respecting diversity; and
• contributing to the common good.

28. Active Citizens
• Participate in community service
• Do their part to make their schools, communities,
and the world a better place

36. responsibility
an obligation that we fulfill voluntarily

37. duty
things we are required to do

38. draft
to create an outline

39. tolerance
respecting and accepting others,
regardless of their beliefs, practices,
or differences

40. global
relating to the entire world

41. income
money received from labor, business,
or property

42. bureaucracy
complex systems with many
departments, many rules, and many
people in the chain of command

43. welfare
the health, prosperity, and happiness
of the members of a community

44. volunteerism
the practice of offering your time and
services to others without payment

45. percent
a portion of 100

46. register
to record or enroll

47. domestic
relating to or occurring in one’s own
country

48. annual
covering the periods of a year or
occurring once a year

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