Civics 101: Rights, Responsibilities & American Symbols

The 15th Amendment A male citizen of any race can vote

• Read the article Suffrage in America: the 15th Amendment

The 19th Amendment Women can vote

• Explore the Suffrage in 60 Seconds video series

The 24th Amendment Citizens don't have to pay a poll tax to vote

The 26th Amendment Citizens eighteen (18) and older can vote

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, called the Bill of Rights, defines American's rights in relation to their government.

The First Amendment provides several rights protections: to express ideas through speech and the press, to assemble or gather with a group to protest or for other reasons, and to ask the government to fix problems. It also protects the right to religious beliefs and practices. It prevents the government from creating or favoring a religion.

The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms.

The Third Amendment prevents government from forcing homeowners to allow soldiers to use their homes. Before the Revolutionary War, laws gave British soldiers the right to take over private homes.

The Fourth Amendment bars the government from unreasonable search and seizure of an individual or their private property.

The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes. It states that serious criminal charges must be started by a grand jury. A person cannot be tried twice for the same offense (double jeopardy) or have property taken away without just compensation. People have the right against self-incrimination and cannot be imprisoned without due process of law (fair procedures and trials.)

The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections to people accused of crimes, such as the right to a speedy and public trial, trial by an impartial jury in criminal cases, and to be informed of criminal charges. Witnesses must face the accused, and the accused is allowed his or her own witnesses and to be represented by a lawyer.

The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in Federal civil cases.

The Eighth Amendment bars excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment

The Ninth Amendment states that listing specific rights in the Constitution does not mean that people do not have other rights that have not been spelled out.

The Tenth Amendment says that the Federal Government only has those powers delegated in the Constitution. If it isn’t listed, it belongs to the states or to the people.

Text Source: The Bill of Rights: What Does it Say? | National Archives

Naturalize

Derive citizenship

Be born in the United States

Vote (in local, state, and national elections!)

Run for office

Join a political party

Help with a campaign

Join a civic or community group

Contact elected officials - Give an elected official your opinion on an issue

Support or oppose an issue or policy

Write to a newspaper

1. Every Law Starts With an Idea

2. The Bill is Introduced

3. The Bill Goes to Committee

4. Congress Debates and Votes

5. Presidential Action

Text source: How Laws Are Made | USAGov. Check out the infographic!

Liberty Island is located in New York Harbor on the Hudson River.

The U.S. flag had 48 stars prior to the admission of Hawai'i and Alaska as states. Both became states during the Eisenhower administration. More than 3,000 people submitted designs for the new design of the American flag.

The 50 star flag was officially established with an executive order on August 21, 1959. The 50 star flag was first officially flown on July 4, 1960 at Fort McHenry.

The Star Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814.

Key had just witnessed the bombardment and defense of Fort McHenry, Baltimore, during the war of 1812.

On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed the law making the Star Spangled Banner America's national anthem.

Out of many, one