• What does responsibility mean to you? What are some responsibilities that are very important to you?
• Please fill in the blank: I think it is the responsibility of all people in America to ________, to _____________, and to ______________.
• Are there any responsibilities that Americans have that you think they shouldn't be held to? If so, what?
• Are there any things that you think Americans should be responsible for, but aren't currently? What? How come? Switching gears, let's talk about rights:
• What does the word "rights" mean to you?
• Who do you think has the power to give or take away rights? Who should have the power?
• What are some specific rights you have as an American?
• How do you think your rights as an American compare to the rights of citizens of other countries? Feel free to include examples.
• It's sometimes said that being an American entitles you to certain rights. Do you think these rights also come with the burden of certain responsibilities? If so, what are the burdens?
For today's final assignment, I'd like you to think a little bit more about your rights as an American.
The Constitution outlines the basic laws of the United States. The Bill of Rights is a list of 10 amendments (the first 10 only) to the Constitution that limit the power of government and protect the rights of the people. Among other things, the Bill protects:
-Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press, as well as the right to assemble, right to protest, and petition the government (1st amendment)
-The right to bear arms (2nd amendment)
-The right to a fair and speedy public trial by jury, including the rights to be notified of the accusations, to confront the accuser, to obtain witnesses and to retain counsel (6th amendment)
A lot has changed since the Bill was passed in 1791. I'd like you to pretend that you're tasked with composing a new and contemporary Bill of Rights today written in your own words. Please get creative and come up with a list of 10 rights that you believe Americans your age should have in the year 2014. Some examples might include the right to an affordable education, the right to universal Internet access, the right to marry a person of the same sex, or the right to use your cell phone everywhere...
• What rights would you include on your list and why? Which ones wouldn't make the cut?