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Consumer Focus: Democracy in America

Democracy in America 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. A Brief History of the United States Our Constitution Bill of Rights Becoming a Citizen Other Resources E-mail this Information to A Friend Other Topics in the Consumer Focus Archive

A Brief History of the United States 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.) National Bird -- Bald Eagle National Anthem -- The Star-Spangled Banner Our Flag contains 13 stripes and fifty stars Top

Our Constitution 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 Top

Bill of Rights 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" Top

Becoming a Citizen 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 USCIS 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. Top

Other Resources This is just a brief overview. For more information, check out these resources: *Websites:** FirstGov.gov Federal Citizen Information Center Kids.gov U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services U.S. National Archives & Records Administration * Names of resources and organizations included in this online article are provided as examples only, and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by the Federal Citizen Information Center or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory. If you click on these links, you are leaving FCIC's website. Please bookmark us before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible for the content of these websites. Top*

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