Springboro Troop 7

Revised 28 Jan 2006 .

Except for Native Americans, the United States is a nation of people who left their home country looking for a better life (immigrants). For this reason, the United States is sometimes called the "melting pot". As a result, the population of the United States is made up of a mixture of people from different countries, such as Ireland, China, and Mexico. The next time you are in class, look around. Everyone around you is different. Although your classmate may have been born in the United States, at some point, that person's family left their home country and came to the United States. Ask your parents about your family's history. But even though we are all different, we are all Americans.

However, living in the United States doesn't automatically make one an American citizen. Residents of the United States can be aliens, nationals, or citizens.

Citizens of the U.S. enjoy all of the freedoms, protections, and legal rights which the Constitution promises.

Responsibilities of Citizens

Citizens of the U.S. can participate in their government This process insures that power will always remain where it belongs with the people. The most important right citizens have is the right to vote. By voting, the people have a voice in the government. The people decide who will represent them in the government. Before voting in an election, each citizen should be well informed about the issues and candidates. The government may call upon citizens to serve on a jury. The members of the jury need to decide the case in as fair a way as they can. Every person is expected to obey the laws of the community, state and country in which he or she lives. All Americans are expected to respect the rights of others. All persons living in the U.S. are expected to pay the income taxes and other taxes honestly and on time.

See more at Ben's Guide to the US government or

The Historical Documents in the Library of Congress or

The National Archives