This lesson helps students explore the meaning of citizenship in the United States. Students will learn the difference between the rights of citizens and the rights of all residents, the responsibilities that come with citizenship, and how people can become citizens through the naturalization process. Using a historical timeline, students will trace how the idea of citizenship has changed from the founding of the United States to the present.
The lesson connects to the work of Robert H. Jackson, Supreme Court Justice and Chief U.S. Prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials, who often emphasized the importance of citizenship in a democracy. Jackson believed that being a citizen carried not only privileges but also serious responsibilities, including defending democratic values, respecting the law, and ensuring justice for all. His life and career show how active citizenship helps sustain democracy at home and abroad.
