Chapter 15.1 Citizenship

• Though the Constitution guarantees freedoms to all people in this country, becoming a full participant in the U.S. democratic system requires citizenship.

What is citizenship?

• Citizenship– the state of being a citizen of a particular

social, political, or national community

– Comes with civic responsibilities• Understanding and obeying the law• Respecting the rights of others• Paying taxes• Voting

How do you become a citizen?

• 3 ways to become a citizen:

1. Be born to U.S. citizens anywhere and claim U.S. citizenship

1. Be born in the U.S. or a territory of the U.S.

1. Naturalization

My parents are American, so that makes me American!!

• Congress has allowed a person born in a foreign country to become a U.S. citizen– IF either Mom or Dad

is American.

– Called jus sanguinis• “law of the blood”

Are there limitations to children born in other countries to American parents?

• YES!– A child who has 1 parent who is a U.S. citizen:

• only becomes a citizen if that parent is a U.S. citizen, plus…

– Parent had to live in U.S. for 5 years as an adult over 14

– To maintain citizenship, child must move to America and live there for at least 2 years between the ages of 14 and 28.

What if I’m born in a U.S. territory?

• YES!– If you are born to

American citizens in • Panama• Guam• American Samoan

Islands• Virgin Islands

• YOU ARE A CITZEN!

• Called “jus soli”– Law of the soil

What if I’m born here, but my parents are from another country?

• Yes! – You are a citizen of

the U.S.A. • You can claim dual

citizenship– U.S. citizenship +

parents’ country’s citizenship

Is there another way to gain citizenship?

• Yep!– Called naturalization.

• Legal process by which immigrants become citizens.

– Why on Earth would someone want to become American?

Why come to America?

• In the beginning, – We simply wanted

freedom!

Then, we built a nation based on “freedoms”

• People wanted to come to U.S. to find a better life for them and their families!

• Why? – Because not

everywhere is as good as America.

Birth of New York

• Thank goodness for the Irish….– Helped develop the work

ethic of our nations capital!

– Also developed the 5 burroughs on NY!

• Bronx• Manhattan• Brooklyn• Queens• Staten Island

– Why did they come? • Potato Famine

Over the next 100 years, Europe tried destroying itself….twice!

Immigrants fled to America to flee:

• War in own countries!– Over 100 million

people migrated to U.S. from 1914 to 1945

Immigrants fled to America to flee:

• Jobs! – America was

growing too fast and didn’t have enough workers!

– Thank goodness for immigrants!

Immigrants fled to America to flee:

• Land! – Most of America was

still being developed!

– Between 1900 and 1950

• This is when most of the Midwest became heavily populated!

• Why was their country so bad?

Because it was overpopulated!

Immigrants fled to America to flee:

• Safety– Most people just

want a chance of a better life…

– Shouldn’t we give people that chance?

– Since we came here on a chance ourselves?

What about today?