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A citizen is a community member who has certain rights and responsibilities. All people living in the United States, whether or not they are citizens, have rights that are protected by the Constitution. These rights are protections that cannot be taken away. Citizenship offers a person living in the United States certain additional rights.
In the United States, a person can become a citizen in two ways.
Citizenship: an ancient idea
The idea of citizenship dates back thousands of years to Athens, a city-state in ancient Greece. In ancient Athens, only Athenian citizens could participate in politics by voting or holding office. To be a citizen, a person had to be free, male, and the child of a man who was already a citizen.
Most Athenians, including women, immigrants, and enslaved people, were not citizens. They were born with few or no political rights, and there was no way for them to ever become citizens.
Now take a closer look at citizenship by birth, which is one of the two ways a person can become a citizen.
To become a citizen by birth, you must have been born under one of the following conditions:
You were born in the United States or in certain territories controlled by the United States.
You were born abroad, or outside of the United States, and both of your parents are U.S. citizens.
You were born abroad and one of your parents is a U.S. citizen who lived in the U.S. for at least five years before you were born. Two of those years must have been when your parent was older than 14.
Are you always a citizen of the place you were born?
Not always! Most countries in North and South America offer citizenship to anyone born in the country. But that is not true in most other countries around the world! In those countries, citizenship is often passed down from parents to children, but it is not automatically given to any child born in the country.
The second way to become a U.S. citizen is through the naturalization process.
The naturalization process is the series of legal steps a person can follow to become a U.S. citizen. Look at the steps of the naturalization process.
Read the definitions of terms related to the naturalization process.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services: the government office that manages the naturalization process; also known as the USCIS
Permanent Resident Card:a document that allows someone to live and work permanently in the United States; also known as a Green Card
Certificate of Naturalization #1
In the 1700s and 1800s, courts around the country each had their own naturalization process. But in 1906, Congress created the Naturalization Service, which made sure all courts would use the same system and give the U.S. government an official record of naturalized citizens.
The Naturalization Service sent out numbered certificates for courts across the country to use. A man named Lyman Ferris got the first one, Certificate of Naturalization #1, when he became a citizen in Alaska in 1907!
The first step in the naturalization process is to apply for and receive a Permanent Resident Card, or Green Card. This allows someone to live and work permanently in the United States. While living in the United States, a permanent resident is expected to follow all U.S. laws and to pay taxes.
Is a Green Card always green?
No! Today the card is mostly green in color, but there have been many different designs over the years.
So, where does the name come from? Congress passed a law in 1940 requiring aliens, or people who were not citizens, to register with the U.S. government. After registering, aliens were given a card called an Alien Registration Receipt Card. Since that was a lot to say, and since the card was green at the time, people began calling it a "Green Card" for short. The name stuck!
The design of the card changes often to keep people from making fake cards.
After getting a Permanent Resident Card, the next step of the naturalization process is to file a citizenship application with the USCIS. To file an application, a person must:
be at least 18 years old
not have committed any serious crimes
have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years, or for at least 3 years if married to a U.S. citizen
Have the steps of the naturalization process always been the same?
No, the steps have changed over time. For example, until the mid-1900s, the process had a "two-step, five-year" rule. After living in the U.S. for two years, a person could file a "declaration of intent" to become a citizen. After three more years, the person could "petition for naturalization." The process is a little more complicated today!
Around 4 to 6 months after a person applies to be a citizen, the USCIS will schedule an in-person interview, or meeting, with the person. During one part of the the interview, the USCIS official will:
ask about the person's background
ask about the person's current living and employment situation
ask about the person's loyalty to the United States
check to make sure the person is of good moral character, or follows the law, tells the truth, and treats people fairly
What needs to happen before USCIS schedules the interview?
After a person submits his or her application for citizenship, the USCIS has to review all of the information on the 20-page form. This includes having the person come in for a biometrics appointment. At this appointment, a USCIS official will fingerprint and photograph the person and put his or her signature on record. The USCIS will keep an electronic record of all of this information and also use it to complete a criminal background and security check. Sometimes, this process can take up to one year to complete!
During the interview, people who want to become naturalized citizens must pass an English language test.
The USCIS provides study materials to help people get ready for this test.
The English language test checks to see if people can speak, read, and write English. Match each part of the test to the skill it is checking.
People who want to become naturalized citizens must also pass a civics test. Including the civics test as part of the naturalization process is a way to make sure citizens coming from different backgrounds share a common understanding of important parts of U.S. history and government. '
The USCIS provides a list of 100 questions for people applying for citizenship to study. The person will be asked up to ten of these questions during his or her interview and must answer at least six of the questions correctly. Some of the questions a person could be asked are listed below. Read the questions. Then follow the instructions below.
What does the Constitution do?
Who makes federal laws?
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
What is one problem that led to the Civil War?
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
What is an amendment?
What is freedom of religion?
How many U.S. Senators are there?
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Who was president during World War I?
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
Name one state that borders Canada.
To complete the naturalization process, a person must take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. Once a person takes the Oath of Allegiance, he or she is officially a United States citizen! Often, people take the oath at a large ceremony and celebrate becoming U.S. citizens together.
Becoming a U.S. citizen
Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once said, "The only title in our democracy superior to that of President [is] the title of citizen." Every year, thousands of people are welcomed into U.S. citizenship when they take the Oath of Allegiance. What does U.S. citizenship mean to you?
Below are the events to become a citizen:
Apply for a Permanent Resident Card, or Green Card.
After being a permanent resident for 5 years, file an application for citizenship with the USCIS.
Wait for the USCIS to schedule an interview with you. Prepare to answer questions about your background, to pass an English language test, and to pass a civics test.
Go to your interview with the USCIS and pass your English language and civics tests.
Attend a naturalization ceremony and take the Oath of Allegiance to become a United States citizen.
In the questions that follow, you will learn about the rights and responsibilities of citizens and the importance of civic participation in communities.
Citizenship: an ancient idea!
The idea of citizenship dates back thousands of years to Athens, a city-state in ancient Greece. Athens was a democracy. In Athenian democracy, only Athenian citizens could participate in politics by voting or holding office. To be a citizen, a person had to be free, male, and the child of someone who was already a citizen.
Most Athenians, including women, immigrants, and enslaved people, had few or no political rights. No members of these groups could become citizens.
Citizens of a country, such as the United States, have special rights and responsibilities. Only some people who live in the U.S. are considered citizens. A person is a U.S. citizen if he or she is born in the U.S. or has a parent who is a U.S. citizen. People can also become U.S. citizens by following a series of legal steps called the naturalization process.
Who can become a U.S. citizen by completing the naturalization process?
Here are some of the requirements people must meet in order to complete the naturalization process:
be at least 18 years old
have lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years
be a person of good character
be able to speak, read, write, and understand the English language
have a knowledge of U.S. history and government
Do U.S. citizens have rights when they travel to other countries?
Yes, but they have to follow the laws of the places they travel to. In some countries, visitors do not have the same rights they are used to having in the United States. The U.S. Department of State provides travel tips and resources for U.S. citizens so that citizens will know their rights while traveling.
A U.S. passport is an official document issued by the U.S. government that allows U.S. citizens to travel to other countries.
In exchange for the government protecting their rights, citizens have to fulfill certain legal duties.
These duties are things citizens must do. If they don't, they can face consequences such as paying a fine or going to jail.
In the United States, citizens have five main legal duties.
What happens if people don't perform their legal duties?
Some of the possible consequences are described below. Do any of them surprise you?
Consequences for not paying taxes
If citizens do not pay their taxes, they can be fined, and money can be taken out of their paychecks. Sometimes, people can be sent to jail for not paying taxes.
Consequences for skipping school
If children skip a lot of school, their parents may have to pay a fine from $20 to $1,500. In extreme cases, parents who do not send their children to school might even have to spend up to 6 months in jail!
Consequences for not registering for military service
Men ages 18 to 25 who do not register for military service are not eligible for federal jobs or for federal help in paying for college. They might also have to pay a fine or spend time in jail.
How does jury duty work?
Citizens who are at least 18 years old may be summoned, or called, for jury duty. If you are summoned, you will receive a letter in the mail saying when you must go to the courthouse. If you have a job, your employer has to give you time off from work.
If you are selected to serve on a jury, you are expected to listen to arguments on both sides of a case. Then, you'll be asked to deliberate, or discuss the case with other members of the jury. With those other jurors, you will reach a decision of guilty or not guilty. Jury duty connects citizens across race, class, and religion and is an important part of American democracy!
In addition to legal duties, citizens have civic responsibilities.
Civic responsibilities are things citizens should do, even though these responsibilities are not required by law. United States citizens have four main civic responsibilities:
voting
being informed
contributing to the common good
respecting others' rights
Should voting be a legal duty?
Voting is an important civic responsibility in the U.S., but many citizens do not vote in elections. Some people believe that U.S. citizens should face a consequence if they choose not to vote. What do you think? Should U.S. citizens be required to vote?
About 55% of possible voters actually voted in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Voting is not required in the United States.
Over 90% of possible voters actually vote in Australian elections. Australia requires its citizens to vote.
American presidents often speak about the rights, duties, and responsibilities of American citizens. Read the quotations from two former presidents. Then answer the question below.
Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.
John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961
The willingness of our citizens to give freely and unselfishly of themselves, even their lives, in defense of our democratic principles, gives this great Nation continued strength.
Ronald Reagan, Veterans Day Proclamation, October 26, 1981
What can you do for your country?
The U.S. government has set up several different programs to encourage people to get involved and make a difference in the world. Two of these programs are listed below. Would you consider volunteering with one of these groups?
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps ("Corps" is pronounced CORE) members spend between three months and two years volunteering in the United States. Volunteers work in areas such as supporting veterans, providing educational services, and helping communities after natural disasters. They learn leadership skills and can earn money for education.
The Peace Corps
Peace Corps volunteers usually spend two years working in a different country to promote peace and friendship with the United States. Peace Corps volunteers work in more than 60 different countries around the world. They do jobs such as teaching English, providing health services, and helping local businesses grow.
Being a good citizen means caring about the good of society and working to make things better. One thing responsible citizens can do is to volunteer, meaning they give their time and effort for free to help their community. People often choose to volunteer to support a cause or an issue that's important to them.
Can young people make a difference?
Yes! Young people can provide services and help out their communities in many different ways. Many young people volunteer through a religious organization, school group, or leadership organization. In the United States, teenagers contribute over 1.3 billion hours of community service each year! Do you volunteer in your community?
How can you stay informed?
In today's world, there are many ways to stay informed. You can read the newspaper, listen to radio programs, watch television news programs, and read online magazines. Many people also use social media to get and share news.
Think before you share!
It can be hard to tell if what you see on social media is accurate. Before you share a story, make sure to read or watch the whole thing. If anything seems surprising, check other trusted news sites and see whether they are reporting the same information.
Do petitions work?
Yes! The biggest benefit of a petition is that it raises awareness about an issue. When you ask people to sign a petition, you have a chance to discuss a problem with them. People are more likely to take action if they know a problem exists! If many people sign a petition, lawmakers know an issue is important to members of the community.
What is an example of a successful petition?
Over 50,000 Florida citizens signed a petition about reducing the number of car crashes that resulted in drowning. In response, the state installed barriers, or guardrails, between roads and nearby lakes, ponds, and canals. This petition could help to save hundreds of lives!
Steps of the voting process:
Below are the events in the correct order. The bolded sections give clues for placing the events in order.
Find out whether you can vote. You must be a U.S. citizen, live in the state where you want to vote, and be 18 by Election Day.
If you are allowed to vote, submit a voter registration form. Each state handles registration differently, so make sure to check the rules of your state.
After you register, find your polling place, or the place you need to go to vote. Schools, churches, and fire stations are often used as polling places. In some states you can vote by mail or online.
Go to your polling place on Election Day, fill out your ballot, and vote for the candidates of your choice.
A citizen is a community member who has certain rights and responsibilities. Citizens must do certain things, such as following the law and attending school. These things are called legal duties. If citizens do not do these things, they can face consequences. There are other things citizens should do, such as voting and staying informed. These things are called civic responsibilities. Active and engaged citizens are an important part of American democracy. When citizens volunteer, or freely give of their time, they help make their communities better.
Why is it important to be an active and engaged citizen?
You can make a difference! Here are some examples of ways you can become active and engaged in your community. How will you decide to help?
Speak up about issues that are important to you!
Volunteer to help with causes that you care about!
Start a volunteer club at your school to help your school community!
Encourage others to vote, and make sure you vote if you're 18 or older!
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