Final answer:
A citizen is someone who is entitled to specific rights and responsibilities within a country and is typically either born in that country or has undergone naturalization. The U.S. Constitution gives a clear definition of citizenship in the Fourteenth Amendment. Citizenship includes privileges like voting and entails responsibilities, such as obeying laws and participating in civic life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term citizen defines a person as anyone who is born in a specific country, or a legal resident, and who is entitled to specific rights and responsibilities. Citizenship can be acquired by birth within a country's territory or through the process of naturalization. The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to its jurisdiction, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.
Citizens have the privilege of political participation, such as voting, and the responsibility to abide by the law and contribute to society. However, there are distinctions between citizens and permanent residents; while residents enjoy certain protections and benefits, they may not have the right to vote or hold public office. Understanding the full privileges of citizenship could encourage a permanent resident to seek naturalization.