What are civic responsibilities?

Civic responsibilities are the duties citizens owe to their country in exchange for the rights and protections of citizenship. The USCIS Citizen's Almanac and the official 128 civics question study materials identify several core responsibilities for naturalized and natural-born citizens alike: serving on a jury when called, voting in federal elections, paying federal income taxes by the April 15 filing deadline, registering for Selective Service if a male between eighteen and twenty-five, supporting and defending the Constitution, and obeying federal, state, and local laws.

Beyond these legal duties, the broader civic tradition includes participating in the democratic process, staying informed about issues that affect the community, respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others, participating in local communities, and contributing to the common good through volunteer service.

Some duties are required by law. Failure to register for Selective Service when required can disqualify a person from federal employment, federal student aid, and naturalization. Failure to file a federal tax return when required can lead to civil penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or, in extreme cases, criminal prosecution. Refusing to appear for jury duty after a valid summons can result in fines or contempt of court charges.

Other duties are encouraged but not legally compelled. The right to vote is also a responsibility in the moral sense, but the United States does not impose a fine for staying home on election day, unlike some democracies such as Australia and Belgium.

The distinction between rights and responsibilities lies at the heart of the American political tradition. James Madison wrote in Federalist No. 51 that if men were angels, no government would be necessary, and the framers built the Constitution on the understanding that ordinary citizens must accept duties to make self-government work. Theodore Roosevelt argued in his 1900 essay The Strenuous Life that the highest form of success comes to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil. John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address captured the same idea: ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

Naturalization candidates accept these responsibilities formally during the Oath of Allegiance ceremony, swearing to support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States, to bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and when required to bear arms, perform noncombatant service, or perform work of national importance. Recognizing civic responsibilities is essential preparation for the civics interview.