Civics ch 1, 2, 3 review Flashcards
What is civics and citizenship
- The rights and responsibilities of citizens
- How decisions are made and who makes them
- Ways that we can act for the common good in our communities at the local, national and global level
why do we study civics
-To find out how our government works
-Identify your personal beliefs and values about how we participate in society
-Practice basic citizenship skills
government
a system by which a group of people makes the laws (principles and regulations) that are enforced to guide the affairs of a community
rights
privileges recognized and protected by law
responsibilities
tasks or duties that an individual has
common good
the well being of people in a community or society in terms of justice, fairness, prosperity, and respect for human rights and the environment.
citizen
a person who lives in a city, town or country and who is legally allowed to have the rights and freedoms of the place in which he or she lives.
What are 3 things people can do if they disagree with the government
-Contact government representatives
-Gather support from other citizens
-Form or join organizations that oppose a law or action
What is the Rule of Law?
The principle that government and all people must obey the law
Direct vs representative democracy
Direct Democracy: government in which all citizens directly participate in decision making without representatives
Representative Democracy is: a democracy in which citizens periodically elect others to represent them in government
what is the idle no more movement
-The Idle No More movement started in 2012 by four women from Saskatchewan: Jessica Gordon, Sylvia McAdam, Sheelah McLean, and Nina Wilson
-For women were concerned that Canada’s legislation would cause the government to diminish the authority and rights of Indigenous communities
-The law would also make it easier for the federal government to extract resources from indigenous territories without consent, nor environmental assessment
-The movement gained supporters across Canada, in Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan
what did idle no more movement do for the aboriginal communities
-encourage Aboriginal communities to become more involved
in addressing social and economic issues
-increase awareness about Aboriginal peoples and
environmental laws
-demonstrate how social media can be used as a powerful tool
for civic action
community can be defined as
-fosters a sense of belonging and is based on something in common
-includes a sense of safety, support, and responsibility to others
-involves a shared identity
-creates a sense of common place
3 benefits of a community
-Unite members and provide a feeling of belonging
-Can connect its members to a diversity of cultures, traditions, values, and perspectives
-Provide better quality of life when communities are well designed for walkability, housing, and more.
civic action + why is it important
when people come together to work towards creating a positive change in their community through actions.
important because: it strengthens community, makes communities more supportive, solves problems and prevents harm
political significance
is the effect that a policy, issue, or event has on people’s lives.
democracy
-gives everyone a say, but it is not perfect.
-from a government in which laws are made by direct vote of the citizens by a vote of the elected representative of the citizens
-the rule of people
common elements in democracies
-The right to vote
-Everyone deserves equitable treatment
-Everyone is equal under the law
-Elections are free from violence
-Everyone has freedom, belief, thought, and expression
-Everyone’s vote counts the same amount
-Everyone has the right to dignity and privacy
-The government listens to its citizens
-Citizens have the right to criticize government
-Citizens have the responsibility to be informed, active participants
ways a young person can be an active citizen
-volunteering
-writing a letter to a government official
-peacefully protesting
methods of action
-online discussions (ex. Spreading information through social media)
-offline discussion (ex. Making a public speech)
-activism (ex. Sign a petition)
-community involvement (ex. Volunteer time and effort)
-political involvement (ex. Contacted an elected official about an issue)
Who is Sarah Khalid and what did she do? How did she display active citizenship?
Sarah established the Young Suburban Growers program, which is where youth turn yard space into teaching gardens.
backyard organic vegetable gardens help:
-develop a sense of community
-give people a deeper relationship to nature
-teach people how to grow healthy local food
Who is Anika Tabovaradan and what did she do that was so inspiring?
Anika is a teenager from Scarborough, who publicly spoke at court to keep public libraries open, in fear that nearby closing branches will cause her branch to become over-crowded and she wont be able to complete her school work in order to get a good job one day.
common areas of responsibility in municipalities
-water & sewer
-garbage & recycling
-parks
-emergency services
-zoos
-public transportation
-road maintenance
-building permits & zoning
-animal control
-libraries
3 careers in municipal government or services
-paramedic
-police officer
-firefighter
