Duties & Responsibilities of Citizenship

Civics & Economics

Think about it…

No matter what you do…where you live…the clubs you belong to…there are certain rules and things that you might be required to do to maintain membership…

Obligation

We have an obligation to each other…and moreover, to our country!

In a sense, it’s all about loyalty. To whom are you loyal?

Duty vs. Responsibility

Responsibility = things we should do. For example, feed Fido after school.

A duty, on the other hand, is something that we must do. National, state, and local governments require Americans to perform certain duties established by laws.

Legal Duties of a Citizen

#1 duty of a citizen:

Obey Laws

Why? Obeying the law preserves public order. They help people get along. They prevent accidents. They help resources be used fairly (for example, I can’t steal your property without a penalty!)

Legal Duties of a Citizen

Defend the Nation

• All men aged 18 – 25 are required to register with the government in case the country needs to draft, or call up, men for military service. WE HAVE NOT HAD A DRAFT SINCE THE VIETNAM WAR.

Legal Duties of a Citizen

Pay Taxes

• Taxes pay for government activities. It makes possible many things in your community – firefighters, roads, libraries, schools…

• We pay taxes in multiple ways – a percentage of income, collection of taxes upon sale of goods and services. What’s the NC State sales tax?

Legal Duties of a Citizen

Serve in Court

The US Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by jury. To ensure this, every adult citizen must be prepared to be called up to serve on a jury. This is called “jury duty.”

Legal Duties of a CitizenAttend School

It’s not a punishment…it’s a privilege…and a duty!

Most states require attendance until age 16.

Benefits you and the government because:

1) You need the knowledge and the skills to make wise decisions, and

2) Our democratic system of government needs informed citizens to operate well!