Certain required requirements must be met by citizens of the United States, including:
• Adherence to the law. Every resident of the United States must follow federal, state, and local laws and pay the consequences that can be imposed when they are breached.
• Taxes; All residents must pay taxes, including federal, state, municipal, Social Security, property, and sales taxes, in some form or another. Each tax supports services and programs that would be hard to continue without the assistance of tax payments, such as schools, roads, police and fire protection, Medicare, and national defense.
• Being called to serve on a jury. Whether or not a citizen, everyone has the right to a jury trial before a panel of their peers. Jurors are chosen by lot from the general population of a jurisdiction's inhabitants, and they must be ready to serve if summoned to jury duty. A citizen may also be summoned or subpoenaed to testify as a witness during a trial, and if called, must present and testify under oath on facts relevant to the case.
• Signing up for the Selective Service. The Selective Service is a federal agency under the executive department of government that exists to quickly resume a draft if necessary in order to furnish the number of men required by the armed services in the event of a war or other national emergency. Almost all male U.S. citizens and male noncitizens between the ages of 18 and 25 are required by federal law to register with the Selective Service. Men who do not register may be prosecuted and fined up to $250,000 or sentenced to up to five years in jail if convicted. Selective Service registration is also necessary for a variety of government programs and benefits, such as student loans, job training, federal employment, and naturalization.
• Voting. Voting is a duty or obligation of citizenship, as well as a right and privilege. By registering to vote and voting in elections, citizens in the United States have a responsibility to engage in their government. Citizens may have a say in their government through voting, and they can contribute to guarantee that the democratic representative system of government is preserved.
• Keeping up with current events. Citizens must be aware about issues that impact their communities, as well as national and worldwide ones, and participate actively in civic processes. This includes being well-informed about topics and candidates prior to voting in an election, participating in a political campaign or seeking for public office, and using their right to confront the government through activism.
• Participation in the community. Citizens should also contribute to the community's well-being by recognizing where assistance or change is needed and becoming engaged by volunteering their time and talents to local groups, committees, and initiatives.
• Tolerance is a skill that can be learned. With democracy comes variety, and Americans must support and safeguard the rights of others while also respecting differences in viewpoints, faiths, cultures, and ethnic groups.
• Pass it on. It is the obligation of citizens to instill in future generations the value of good citizenship. Parents and mentors illustrate how to improve society by educating their children how to remain educated, become active, obey the law, and the importance of voting.