Let us not make the mistake of thinking that we are not yet citizens because we are young.  The Constitution of the United States says that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” (that is, subject to its laws) “are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”  Even persons born in foreign countries and who have not yet been naturalized [Footnote:  “Naturalization” is the legal process by which persons of foreign birth renounce their allegiance to the land of their birth and pledge their allegiance to our government.] enjoy almost all the rights of native-born Americans, and therefore have much of the responsibility of citizenship.  Until they are naturalized they are still considered members of the country from which they came, and therefore as owing certain duties to that country which would be inconsistent with their duties as members of our nation.  Therefore they are denied certain political rights, such as voting and holding office. [Footnote:  In a few states even unnaturalized persons are allowed to vote after they have declared their intention of becoming citizens.] These same political rights are denied to native-born citizens until they have reached maturity.  But we must not confuse this right to vote with citizenship.

Explain how the idea of membership as described in the text applies to your membership in the family; to membership in a club; in a church; in a farmers’ cooperative organization.

Can you be a member of your class or school without doing it either good or harm?  Explain your answer.

Read Romans xii:  4-8 and James iii:  5-8.

Show how an injury or a benefit to one pupil in the school may be an injury or a benefit to the entire school.  Give illustrations to prove this.

Show how a failure to save food, to buy savings stamps, or to perform other services that one is able to perform, weakened our nation and other nations who were her allies during the war with Germany.

Make a list of things you have done during the week for the benefit of your school; for the welfare of your neighborhood, town, or school district.  Do you do as much for your family, school, or community as they do for you?

Turn to Amendment xiv of the Constitution of the United States (see Appendix), and read the entire first section containing the definition of a citizen.  Discuss the meaning of the section.

At what age does the native-born citizen acquire the right to vote?  Why is he not allowed to vote before that time?

What native-born citizens of the United States do not have the right to vote even after they are of voting age?

READINGS

In Long’s American Patriotic Prose: 

Doane, “The Men to Make a State,” pp. 236-238.

Lane, “Makers of the Flag,” pp. 314-316.