What Does a Citizen Do?

The U.S. Constitution allows Congress to require citizen to pay taxes. The first income tax was created during the Civil War. Citizens have been paying takes to the government ever since. The government uses the money to pay for many services. Who has to pay taxes? What are those taxes used for? What happened if a citizen does not pay taxes? What can be taxed? How are taxes collected? This book examines the role of a taxpayer in a civic society. The text follows an inquiry-based approach using the C-3 Framework for Social Studies.

President Abraham Lincoln said that the U.S. government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people." What happens when the people do not think the government is working for them? Some take to the streets and other public places to protest. Peaceful protest is an important tool for democracy. Some of the biggest changes in our country happened because of protests. From the Boston Tea Party to the Black Lives Matter movement, this book will allow students to understand the role of protestors through an inquiry-based approach.

Most citizens in the United States have the right to vote. It did not start out that way. The Constitution let states pick who could vote. Most only allowed men who owned property to vote. Today, laws have been passed that make sure most people have a say in who governs them. Who gets to vote? Who does not get to vote, and why? When do people get to vote? Does voting really matter? What is the Electoral College and how does it work? These questions and more will be explored within the C3 Framework.