DO NOW

• 1. Take out your name tag

• 2. Take out a piece of paper and tell me what it means to you to be an American

The American identity

Chapter 1

How can we do our research: Primary Sources

• Primary Sources: Documents that were produced as the event was happening.– EXAMPLES: official documents, first-hand

accounts, and visual evidence (pictures, paintings, etc)

How can we do our research: Secondary Sources

• Secondary Sources: Documents created by someone either not present when an event took place, or removed in time from the event.– EXAMPLES: A history textbook, or a biography

written about Abraham Lincoln today

How Do We Know?

• Ask yourself these questions when determining if a source is primary or secondary:– What is this source telling me?– Whose point of view is it?– What other points of views do we need?

• What is this source telling me?

• Whose point of view is it?

• What other points of views do we need?

How did America become what it is today?

• American colonists came over from England• Native American land

• England’s influences were great• We wanted to break away from them• Religious tolerance

» Separation of Church and State» Egalitarianism: All humans are fundamentally equal.

• No taxation without representation• American Revolution

What is Civics?

• Defined: Civics is the study of the rights and duties of citizens.

• In ancient Greece, where citizenship originated, only men with property had the rights to be citizens.

• Look how far we have come…

Are you still a citizen if you are not physically living in the US?

• YES. American citizens who live abroad are still representing the US.

• Example: Uproar about Jersey Shore in Italy.

• Citizens are part of a country, they share a common history, beliefs, and customs, and agree to follow a set of rules and to accept the government’s authority.

• What are some rules we as Americans, are forced to accept?

A Changing Society• American society has undergone many changes in the past, and

these changes continue today.

• Early Immigration: 1600s, French and English settlers in America.

• After Independence: After American independence from England, there was a drastic increase in European immigrants.

• Enslaved Africans: Africans were forced out of their countries and into the American slave trade.

• Now: The majority of immigrants are from Latin America, followed by Asia.

Paths to Citizenship

• In the United States, there are two ways to become a citizen:

• 1. By birth: If you are born in the US, or in a US territory, you are a US citizen.

• 2. Naturalization: A legal process a foreigner has to go through to become a citizen.

Aliens

• Aliens: non-citizens– Legal:

• Resident Alien: Established permanent residence and can stay in the US for as long as they wish without becoming American citizens.

• Non-Resident Alien: A Person from a foreign country who expects to stay in the US for a short, specified period.

– Illegal:• Immigration restrictions• Always in fear of deportation

– Do you think that we should deport them if we find them? What if they have families?

• These are not in your notes, so please take notes

The Need for Government• Government: The ruling authority for a

community.• Any organization that has the power to make and

enforce, or carry out, laws and decisions for its members.

-We talked about how a government is needed to help structure and control a community. What did we say would happen if there was no government?

What Governments Do:

• 1. Keep Order: Governments make laws to keep order.

• 2. Provide Security: Protect the people and their land• Armed forces/military

What Governments Do (cont)

• 3. Provide Public Services: Aimed at keeping the public healthy and safe. – Affordable housing, healthcare, food aid.– Create and manage libraries, schools, hospitals, parks,

and recreation centers. Government workers build and repair bridges, collect trash, and deliver the mail.

• 4. Guide the Community: Formulate public policy (a course of government action to achieve community goals)

• Example: Creating a budget

Discussion

• What do you think is the most important thing governments do, and why?

• 1. Keep Order• 2. Provide Security• 3. Provide Public Services• 4. Guide the Community

Levels of Government• National: The government of the entire country

• Includes the President, Vice President, national Congress. • Has the highest level of authority over its citizens• Provides basic framework for citizenship

• State and Local: Decides matters for the state• Cannot make laws going against the national government.• Local is closest to the people (city, towns, county), state

encompasses an entire state.