Civics EOC Study Guide

Citizenship

  • Legal Permanent Resident: Someone who permanently lives in the U.S. but is not a citizen.
  • Immigration: Moving from one country to another.
  • Law of Blood: If your parents are U.S. citizens, you are a U.S. citizen.
  • Law of Soil: If you are born on U.S. soil, you are automatically a citizen.
  • Selective Service System: Men between 18 and 25 are signed up and can be drafted into war if needed.
  • Definition of Citizenship (14th Amendment): Anyone born or naturalized in the U.S. is a citizen.
  • Obligations of Citizenship: Meeting obligations makes the U.S. safer and better.
    • Following the law reduces crime.
    • Paying taxes supports government services.
    • Defending the nation protects the U.S. from enemies.
    • Serving on juries protects the right to a trial by jury.
  • Active Participation in the Community: Community service helps the common good.
  • Naturalization Process: Allows immigrants to become U.S. citizens.
  • Naturalization Process Definition: The process by which an immigrant becomes a citizen.
  • Obligations of Citizenship Definition: A requirement, something a person has to do
  • Responsibilities of Citizenship Definition: Something a person should do.

Naturalization Requirements

  • Requirements:

    • 18 years old.
    • Live in the U.S. for 5 years.
    • Good moral character.
    • Read, write, and speak English.
    • Knowledge of U.S. history and government.

  • Citizenship Ceremony: Give the oath of allegiance.

Obligations

  • Obeying laws
  • Paying taxes
  • Defending the nation
  • Serving on juries
  • Registering for selective service

Responsibilities

  • Voting
  • Attending civic meetings
  • Petitioning the government
  • Running for office
  • Community service

Systems & Forms of Government

  • Systems of Government: Determines how power is divided in the country.
  • Forms of Government: Shows who has the power in government.

Systems of Government

  • Unitary System: Central government has most/all of the power.
  • Confederal System: States have most/all of the power.
  • Federal System: Power is divided between central and state governments.
  • Parliamentary System: Citizens elect representatives who then choose the Prime Minister.

Forms of Government

  • Direct Democracy: Citizens directly decide/vote on laws and procedures.
  • Representative Democracy: Citizens elect representatives to govern (popular sovereignty).
  • Absolute Monarchy: Rule by one person (monarch) unrestricted by laws.
  • Monarchy: Power inherited through bloodline, but a constitution limits the monarch’s power.
  • Oligarchy: Rule by a small group of wealthy people.
  • Autocracy: One person has complete control (dictatorship or absolute monarchy).
  • Anarchy: Nobody is in control, or everyone is.
  • Socialism: Every citizen is equal, and citizens own all means of production.
  • Communism: Government controls the whole economy, usually ruled by a dictator and communist party.

Foundations of American Democracy

  • Enlightenment Thinkers: People who came up with theories on how the government should run.
  • Natural Rights (John Locke): All people are born with the rights to life, liberty, & property.
  • Social Contract (John Locke): People create a contract between themselves and a government to protect their natural rights.
  • Separation of Powers (Montesquieu): Government should be divided into 3 branches.

Influential Documents

  • Magna Carta: Limited the power of the King of England.
    • Ideas gained: limited government.
  • English Bill of Rights: Gave additional rights to the people of England.
    • Ideas gained: due process, limited government, individual rights.
  • Mayflower Compact: Outlined how the people on the Mayflower would be governed.
    • Ideas gained: self-government.
  • Thomas Paine’s Common Sense: Convinced American colonists to support independence from England.
    • Ideas gained: declaring independence.

English Policies & Steps Toward Independence

  • French & Indian War:
    • Colonists wanted more land westward.
    • Britain sent troops to help win the war.
    • King George taxed colonists to repay war costs and forbade them to expand into old French territory.
  • Stamp Act: Tax on every piece of printed paper.
  • Townshend Act (1767): Taxes on glass, lead, paints, & tea.
  • Tea Act of 1773: Required colonists to buy tea only from the British East India Company.
    • Colonists response: Boston Tea Party
  • Coercive Acts/Intolerable Acts:
    • Quartering Act: Required colonists to house British soldiers.
    • Closed Boston Harbor until ruined tea was paid for.
    • Made town meetings illegal.
  • First Continental Congress:
    • Sent a letter to King George asking him to respect colonists’ rights.
    • Organized a boycott of British goods and banned trade with Britain.
  • Thomas Paine’s Common Sense: Moved colonists to declare independence.
  • Second Continental Congress:
    • Fighting between colonists and British had begun.
    • Approved the Declaration of Independence

Understanding the Declaration of Independence

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