the diversity of americans mrs. cox civics and economics-1

The Diversity of The Diversity of AmericansAmericansMrs. CoxMrs. Cox

Civics and Economics-1Civics and Economics-1

What is Civics?What is Civics?

Americans’ understanding of citizenship goes Americans’ understanding of citizenship goes back to ancient times. More than 2,500 years back to ancient times. More than 2,500 years ago, the people of Greece and Rome had ago, the people of Greece and Rome had ideas about the duties of people who lived in a ideas about the duties of people who lived in a country and about what their government country and about what their government should be like. The Greek thinker Aristotle should be like. The Greek thinker Aristotle wrote that the best way to achieve liberty and wrote that the best way to achieve liberty and equality was by all people sharing in the equality was by all people sharing in the government. In this early culture, only a few government. In this early culture, only a few people could be citizens and have the benefits people could be citizens and have the benefits of citizenship.of citizenship.

What is Civics?What is Civics?

When we study Civics, we about the When we study Civics, we about the duties of being citizens of our country duties of being citizens of our country and about the rights promised us by our and about the rights promised us by our government. We also find out about the government. We also find out about the loyalty we owe our country and the loyalty we owe our country and the protections the government gives us. protections the government gives us. Citizens agree to follow a set of rules and Citizens agree to follow a set of rules and to accept the government.to accept the government.

A Changing SocietyA Changing Society

Immigrants from around the world helped Immigrants from around the world helped change American society. Their many change American society. Their many ethnic backgrounds create a diverse ethnic backgrounds create a diverse culture. This culture continues to be a culture. This culture continues to be a work in progress even today.work in progress even today.


The first immigrants into North America were The first immigrants into North America were Native Americans. They crossed from Asia via Native Americans. They crossed from Asia via a land bridge. People from Spain came in the a land bridge. People from Spain came in the 1500s and settled in the Southwest. 1500s and settled in the Southwest. Immigrants from England and France came to Immigrants from England and France came to North America in the 1600s. Other groups North America in the 1600s. Other groups from Europe came later. Some immigrants from Europe came later. Some immigrants came to the North America by choice but some came to the North America by choice but some had no choice. Many enslaved Africans were had no choice. Many enslaved Africans were migrated all over the world as slaves.migrated all over the world as slaves.


Europe was the number one contributor Europe was the number one contributor to immigration to the US until the mid-to immigration to the US until the mid-1900s. Later people arrived from Latin 1900s. Later people arrived from Latin America and are the fastest growing America and are the fastest growing ethnic population in the US today, closely ethnic population in the US today, closely followed by immigrants from Asia. The followed by immigrants from Asia. The majority of Americans still have European majority of Americans still have European heritage, followed by African, Latino, and heritage, followed by African, Latino, and Asian heritage.Asian heritage.


American society has changed in other ways American society has changed in other ways as well. Many Americans have moved from the as well. Many Americans have moved from the country to the city and shifted our economy to country to the city and shifted our economy to a more service based economy. Many factory a more service based economy. Many factory jobs have shifted out of the country, since the jobs have shifted out of the country, since the 1990s. However, in the last five years, there is 1990s. However, in the last five years, there is another shift beginning to slowly take place, as another shift beginning to slowly take place, as some factories are coming back to the US.some factories are coming back to the US.

American Values and American Values and InstitutionsInstitutions

People from different backgrounds can share People from different backgrounds can share many values. For instance, ideas about many values. For instance, ideas about fairness and equality would be shared values. fairness and equality would be shared values. Personal freedoms and tolerance of others’ Personal freedoms and tolerance of others’ beliefs are important. Americans believe that beliefs are important. Americans believe that popular sovereignty is the way our government popular sovereignty is the way our government should function. Meaning that the government should function. Meaning that the government governs by agreement with the people.governs by agreement with the people.

American Values and American Values and InstitutionsInstitutions

Social institutions help shape our society. A Social institutions help shape our society. A social institution is a set of ideas that people social institution is a set of ideas that people have about relationships and roles in society. have about relationships and roles in society. The family is the basis of American Life. The family is the basis of American Life. Churches, mosques, and temples offer a sense Churches, mosques, and temples offer a sense of unity and belonging. Education helps pas of unity and belonging. Education helps pas along our countries identity. We share common along our countries identity. We share common values through service organizations and values through service organizations and governmental institutions.governmental institutions.

1-2 Who are America’s 1-2 Who are America’s Citizens?Citizens?

People born in the US or its territories are citizens. People born in the US or its territories are citizens. Immigrants move to the US to become citizens. The Immigrants move to the US to become citizens. The process to become a citizen is called naturalization. In process to become a citizen is called naturalization. In this legal process, people who are aliens, or this legal process, people who are aliens, or noncitizens, can receive citizenship. An alien must noncitizens, can receive citizenship. An alien must apply to be a citizen. They take classes about the apply to be a citizen. They take classes about the history and government of the US, as well as English. history and government of the US, as well as English. The alien must also go through an interview process The alien must also go through an interview process with an immigration official. The final step to become a with an immigration official. The final step to become a citizen is to take the oath of citizenship in an official citizen is to take the oath of citizenship in an official ceremony. The new citizen must promise to be loyal to ceremony. The new citizen must promise to be loyal to the US, obey the laws of the land and serve in the the US, obey the laws of the land and serve in the armed forces, if needed. armed forces, if needed.

Path to CitizenshipPath to Citizenship

A person’s citizenship cannot be taken A person’s citizenship cannot be taken away unless it is obtained incorrectly. away unless it is obtained incorrectly. Only criminals can be denied some of Only criminals can be denied some of their citizenship privileges, such as their citizenship privileges, such as voting. People can give up their US voting. People can give up their US citizenship by the leaving the US and citizenship by the leaving the US and living in a foreign country. living in a foreign country.

Aliens in AmericaAliens in America

Thousands of people enter the US from other Thousands of people enter the US from other countries. We accept about 700,000 people countries. We accept about 700,000 people legally to the US each year. People who have legally to the US each year. People who have relatives here or special job skills that are relatives here or special job skills that are needed have priority over others. Legal entries needed have priority over others. Legal entries to the US pay taxes and receive legal to the US pay taxes and receive legal protection from the government. Legal aliens protection from the government. Legal aliens can not vote, serve on juries, or work for the can not vote, serve on juries, or work for the government.government.

Aliens in American Aliens in American

Illegal aliens have not met the government’s Illegal aliens have not met the government’s requirements for entering or staying in the country. requirements for entering or staying in the country. They may have entered illegally or stay past the They may have entered illegally or stay past the allowed time. Some people have been turned down to allowed time. Some people have been turned down to enter the country legally. It is against the law to hire enter the country legally. It is against the law to hire illegal aliens to work. They may be deported by the illegal aliens to work. They may be deported by the immigration officials. There are more than 15 million immigration officials. There are more than 15 million people living in the US legally as immigrants. The US people living in the US legally as immigrants. The US border patrol works to stop illegal aliens from entering border patrol works to stop illegal aliens from entering the country from all access points. The land and sea the country from all access points. The land and sea borders are patrolled constantly.borders are patrolled constantly.

1-3 Government and The 1-3 Government and The PeoplePeople

Governments are created to help stop Governments are created to help stop conflicts where people live together. conflicts where people live together. Governments enforce laws. Police Governments enforce laws. Police officers, courts, and armed forces provide officers, courts, and armed forces provide security.security.

The Need for GovernmentThe Need for Government

Governments provide public services, Governments provide public services, such as libraries, firefighters, street lights such as libraries, firefighters, street lights and streets. Governments can also and streets. Governments can also provide food, money, housing, and health provide food, money, housing, and health care for people in need.care for people in need.


Officials set goals for government Officials set goals for government services by forming public policy. The services by forming public policy. The policy sets the budget. The budget policy sets the budget. The budget charts how much money the government charts how much money the government earns and how much it can spend on earns and how much it can spend on each program. The policy also can each program. The policy also can decide relations with nearby decide relations with nearby governments.governments.


In the US, the federal government in In the US, the federal government in Washington DC makes laws for the entire Washington DC makes laws for the entire nation. States and communities make nation. States and communities make their own laws, but they must agree with their own laws, but they must agree with federal laws. Federal laws always take federal laws. Federal laws always take precedence over lower levels of precedence over lower levels of government.government.

Types of GovernmentTypes of Government

The idea of democracy came about in ancient Athens, The idea of democracy came about in ancient Athens, where all the citizens helped make the laws. The where all the citizens helped make the laws. The Athenian model was a direct democracy, with each Athenian model was a direct democracy, with each citizen voting on government decisions. Many countries citizen voting on government decisions. Many countries today have representative democracies, in which a today have representative democracies, in which a small group of citizens are elected to govern for the small group of citizens are elected to govern for the people. In a democracy people share the decision people. In a democracy people share the decision making by voting in free and fair elections. We then making by voting in free and fair elections. We then accept these decisions made by the elected officials accept these decisions made by the elected officials based on majority rule. We also respect the rights of based on majority rule. We also respect the rights of the minority as well.the minority as well.


Royal figures such as kings and queens Royal figures such as kings and queens inherit their powers and titles. This is inherit their powers and titles. This is called a monarchy. There is also a called a monarchy. There is also a constitutional monarchy which has constitutional monarchy which has modern democratic practices, and the modern democratic practices, and the monarch’s powers are limited by the monarch’s powers are limited by the country’s laws.country’s laws.


Some types of governments are not controlled by the Some types of governments are not controlled by the people. These governments are different forms of people. These governments are different forms of authoritarian governments which give power to one authoritarian governments which give power to one individual as a dictator and their immediate followers individual as a dictator and their immediate followers carry out the dictators wishes. There are also absolute carry out the dictators wishes. There are also absolute monarchies in which the rulers have no limits to power monarchies in which the rulers have no limits to power and these rulers do not hesitate to sue force. Saudi and these rulers do not hesitate to sue force. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are two such countries. These Arabia and Qatar are two such countries. These monarchs and dictators limit rights of individuals and monarchs and dictators limit rights of individuals and do not allow free speech. Totalitarian governments do not allow free speech. Totalitarian governments take away almost all individual freedoms. China, North take away almost all individual freedoms. China, North Korea and Cuba fall under this category.Korea and Cuba fall under this category.

the diversity of americans mrs. cox civics and economics-1

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