Anyone who turns on the TV or picks up a newspaper knows that there are elections coming up this November. Besides the messages of the candidates, there has been a lot of talk about why people should vote and what it means to be a citizen of the United States. So back at the FCIC, we decided to put together this two-part Consumer Focus. Part one of the focus, Democracy in America, sets the background of the American history, our government, and how people become Americans. Then, part two of the focus Responsibilities of Being an American, will cover the benefits of being an American, and how the election process works. Along the way, we’ll have fun looking back on who we are as Americans. And we’ll provide easy facts and useful information for anyone who uses this election season as an opportunity to talk to children about our country.
The United States of America was founded in 1776 when the First Continental Congress signed and then sent the Declaration of Independence to King George III of England. But we didn’t become a country as soon as King George received our declaration. Our new country wasn’t fully independent until we had fought and won a revolution against England and signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
Over the years America has grown and now is made up of 50 states. Here are some other quick facts about America.
Capital City – Washington DC
Population -- 281,421,906 (2000 Census)
Land Area -- 3,615,123 sq. mi. (9,375,720 sq. km.)
The foundation of our American Government is our Constitution, which serves as the “Supreme Law of Our Land.” The American Constitution is the oldest written constitution still in force. It lays out the essential laws that every act of Congress or the President must support. The constitution is made up of seven articles:
Article I – The Legislative Branch
Article II – The Presidency
Article III – The Judiciary
Article IV – The States
Article V – The Amendment Process
Article VI – Legal Status of the Constitution
Article VII - Ratification
Creating a constitution wasn’t an easy process. America had already created a document called the Articles of Confederation which failed as the foundation for the country. So when the delegates gathered at the constitutional convention, they decided to start over and write a new constitution that had a stronger federal government and balanced the power of the government.
Points of Interest about the creation of our Constitution:
George Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention
James Madison contributed the most to the document
Representatives from all but two of the states were present
Thomas Jefferson was in France during the convention and had no part in creating the Constitution
39 people, including Benjamin Franklin signed the constitution
The Constitution was signed in 1787 and went into effect in 1788
The authors of the Constitution knew that changes would be needed from time to time for the Constitution to grow with the nation. So, they decided that we should be able to add amendments to the Constitution. The first ten of these Amendments are collectively called the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was created because many of the delegates to the constitutional conventions were worried that a strong central government would lead to tyranny. These ten amendments were passed together to protect the rights of citizens and state governments:
Amendment 1: Freedom of religion
Amendment 2: Right to bear arms
Amendment 3: No soldier should be quartered without consent of the owner
Amendment 4: Right against unreasonable search and seizure
Amendment 5: Right to remain silent
Amendment 6: Right to a speedy and public trial
Amendment 7: Right to trial by jury
Amendment 8: Concerns bails, fines and punishments
Amendment 9: Guarantees and reserves the rights of the people
Amendment 10: States, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people"
Citizens of the United States are native-born, foreign-born, or naturalized people who pledge allegiance to the United States and are entitled to its protection. Each year thousands of foreigners enter the United States and become citizens. This means that the new citizens gain all of the same rights as someone who was born here. The six general requirements to become a citizen are:
a period of continuous residence and physical presence in the United States;
residence in
a particular USICE District
prior to filing;
an ability to read, write, and speak English;
a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government;
good moral character;
attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution; and,
favorable disposition toward the United States.
The process begins when the applicant fills out an application form. Next, the applicant is fingerprinted and their backgrounds are checked to make sure that they aren’t criminals. After their background checks the applicants are given a test on their knowledge of the U.S. government and U.S. history. Finally, the applicant appears before a judge in court. The judge listens to the person’s reasons for wanting to become a U.S. citizen, and decides if the person will be allowed to become a citizen.
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