Final answer:
A citizen is a legal member of a country with certain rights and responsibilities, where citizenship can be acquired by birth (natural born) or through legal processes (naturalized). The law of blood refers to citizenship through parentage while the law of soil refers to citizenship by birthplace. Suffrage is the right to vote, and it's a key aspect of civic participation and responsibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Key Civic Concepts
Citizen refers to a legal member of a country, with rights and responsibilities under its law.
A natural born citizen is anyone born within a country's territory or to its citizens abroad.
A naturalized citizen, on the other hand, is someone who has acquired citizenship through legal processes after meeting certain residency and other requirements.
The law of blood (jus sanguinis) grants citizenship based on one's parent's nationality, while law of soil (jus soli) confers citizenship to those born within a country's territories.
Suffrage is the right to vote in elections. In the U.S., citizens' responsibilities may include participating in the democratic process and informed voting, while obligations (duties) encompass serving on juries and paying taxes.
All men must register for the Selective Service when they turn 18, in case a draft becomes necessary.
Popular sovereignty is the principle that the authority of a state and its government is created and sustained by the consent of its people.
Reflecting on history, the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights were significant documents that influenced the development of constitutional government, highlighting the concept of natural/individual rights and setting precedents for future democratic principles.
Enlightenment philosophers, such as John Locke, profoundly affected modern thinking about government and society. They argued for natural rights and framed the idea of a social contract, where the governed give consent to be ruled in return for protection of their rights.
Montesquieu introduced the idea of separation of powers.
The French and Indian War also had a significant impact, as it lead to British taxation policies in the colonies, which later fueled the drive for American independence.