What Does it Mean to be a Citizen?

/https://siu.edu/search-results.php

Last Updated: Jun 01, 2026, 08:32 AM

Introducing the Roles of a Citizen

Expectations of and for citizens varies considerably across different countries. For example, in some countries military service is required of all citizens at age 18. In the United States, military service has been voluntary since the 1970s, even during a times of war. These requirements, responsibilities, and rights of citizens have also changed over the last 200 years in this country. Use this first activity to begin to explore these evolving ideas about what it takes to become a citizen and what expectations and privileges citizens should be able to enjoy.

Requirements

First, consider what is required to be a citizen or a legally recognized member of a country. Several nations vary on what these requirements are, and several are listed below. Place them in the order of importance you think are necessary to becoming a citizen.

Resources on how to become a U.S. Citizen.

Responsibilities

Once a citizen, do people have new responsibilities or duties they owe to their country? Watch the video for clues about what these obligations might include and why.

Rights

What about a citizen’s rights? If a citizen is a legally recognized member of a country, what privileges should that person expect to enjoy? In the next activity, you will encounter some of these rights Lincoln wrestled with granting African Americans in the United States.