
Lesson Purpose
When you have finished this lesson, you should be able to explain the meaning of citizenship in the United States, the ways Americans become citizens, and why all American citizens are citizens both of their states and their nation. You also should be able to identify essential rights and responsibilities of citizens, and why citizenship is particularly complicated for Native Americans. You should be able to describe the process of naturalization, differences between citizens and resident aliens, and how citizenship can be lost. Finally, you should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on the legal and moral rights and obligations of citizens.
Lesson Objectives
- explain the meaning of citizenship in the United States, the ways Americans become citizens, and why all American citizens are citizens both of their states and their nation,
- identify essential rights and responsibilities of citizens, and why citizenship is particularly complicated for Native Americans,
- describe the process of naturalization, differences between citizens and resident aliens, and how citizenship can be lost, and
- evaluate, take, and defend positions on the legal and moral rights and obligations of citizens.
Lesson Terms
Lesson Biographies
Lesson Court Cases
Lesson Primary Sources
Aristotle's work on such topics as the political community, economics, property rights, citizenship, leadership, constitutions and the ideal state. He critiques the ideas in Plato's Republic and examines the existing thoughts and types of government, as well as discussing his notions of ideal society.