Welcome to the website for Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge at the Merit Badge University. This is an Eagle Required merit badge, and as such, we treat it VERY seriously. We want you to have the best opportunity to complete the requirements by conclusion of the Merit Badge University or shortly thereafter. However there are matters that must be completed outside Merit Badge University. Please download or print the information provided. Please arrange the required National or State Capitol or Federal installation tour on your own or with your troop (There are suggestions in the download material). If you follow the instructions in advance, you should have a rewarding experience and should complete the requirements. If you do NOT complete the reading requirements in advance, if you have not written a Congressman or Senator as required WELL in advance so as to make a reply feasible (though a reply is not required), you will have an incomplete badge.

Homework:  Read the latest version of the Merit Badge Pamphlet ('05 revision) You may borrow it from your Scout Library; or order it directly from The Atlanta Scout Shop, phone: 770-988-9912 or The national B.S. A. Catalog at 1-800-323-0732.

Worksheets / Questionnaire for Citizenship in the Nation:  For Requirement 4 you MUST DISCUSS the Declaration of Independence, the U S Constitution, the Bill of Rights and more. In order to ensure that you have READ these documents and are prepared for a TWO WAY discussion please complete the open book QUESTIONNAIRE BELOW (not the same as the questionnaire at meritbadge.com or USSSP websites) BEFORE arrival at the Merit Badge University. You may complete it alone or work as a group, but should be prepared to discuss your answers. The counselor REQUIRES completion BEFORE we begin, or this requirement will not be marked completed.

VERY IMPORTANT! In order for your Counselor to check off a completed Merit Badge, the scout must have also completed at least the visiting part of Requirement 2 in advance. Requirement 2 requires the scout to do two of the following:

(a) Visit a place that is listed as a National Historic Landmark or that is on the National Register of Historic Places. e. g. Kennesaw Mtn. NBP, Sweet Auburn NHD, MLK NHD, Etowah Mounds (Easy to find on the internet-most county courthouses are included for example) for Georgia listings see (http://www.nps.gov/nhl/designations/Lists/GA01.pdf) and (http://www.nr.nps.gov/iwisapi/explorer.dll?IWS_SCHEMA=NRIS1&IWS_LOGIN=1&IWS_REPORT=100000037)

(b) Visit the U S Capitol or [the scout's] state capitol; or

(c) Tour a federal facility. If the scout does not get a chance to do that requirement before Merit Badge University, in that the classes will be over by 12:30 the Scoutmaster may want to consider arranging a tour of Dobbins AFB, or Allatoona Dam or some other nearby federal installation that afternoon, so as to complete the badge.

Write up what you learned about the places toured and be prepared to discuss.

Requirement 3:  Make sure you have read the newspaper front page or watched nightly news FIVE DAYS IN A ROW and can discuss a NATIONAL issue you learned about there and how it affects your family.

Requirement 6:  Choose a speech and notify your counselor for approval  WELL IN ADVANCE.  I will NOT APPROVE more than two scouts for the same speech, so "the early bird gets the worrn".  Some include Gettysburg Address, Inaugural by several presidents, FDR WWII Declaration of WAR, FDR 4 Freedoms, McArthurs West Point address, McArthur's Fairwell, MLK "I have a dream . . ."  You should NOT feel limited by these suggestions. Be prepared on all aspects of the requirement.

Requirement 8: Letter, Senators and Representatives, Congressional Directory,  http://clerk.house.gov/members/index.html  Enter your Zip code and find out who your Congressman is.

Write a letter about a NATIONAL ISSUE WELL in advance of the Merit Badge University date to afford an opportunity to respond. Though no response is absolutely required, sufficient opportunity for a response is. You are encouraged to write by E-mail. It is faster, and will more likely give a timely response due to security and other issues. Most Congressmen have local offices. Communication through the local office by phone can give you tips on how to get a quick response. All of this can be found on your Congressman's or Senator's website.

Other Games: National Center for Constitutional Studies WEB GAME- http://www.nccs.net/constitution/index.html This WEB GAME was created by the "National Center for Constitutional Studies" as a way to help educate millions of Americans on the web, free, on what the Constitution really is and how it came about. This "game" is a work in progress - so your input will be greatly appreciated - new questions; errors found; or rephrasing of questions - anything you think would improve it. This is a chance for you to make a real difference.

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR REQUIREMENT 4

(if you prefer, contact me and I can send you an attachment of this questionnaire in Word or WordPerfect)

4 A.  THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE                                         

            1.  Memorize (extra credit)and recite the Preamble and the first two sections of the Declaration of Rights of the Declaration of Independence.

            2.  What are the four main parts of the Declaration of Independence?

            3.  Name three writers of the Declaration of Independence.

4.  Who were Georgia's (or your state’s)signers of the Declaration of Independence?

            5.  When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

4 B & C.  THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

After reading the Constitution and Bill of Rights, complete the following:

Memorize (extra credit)and recite the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States.

Answer each question by specifying the Article and Section of The U. S. Constitution where the answer is given, e. g. "A3 S2".

1.  What happens if a state passes a law that is contrary to the Constitution of the United States?

2.  How may the Constitution be amended?

3.  How may new States be Admitted to the Union?

4.  What is the age limit for a Representative in Congress?

5.  May a Federal judge's salary be reduced during his term of office?

6.  May a person born a citizen of another country, but now a resident of the United States, become President of the United States?

7.  If a person is convicted of a crime in one state, may he avoid punishment by fleeing to another state?

8.  What is the "supreme law of the land"?

9.  How many states had to ratify the Constitution for it to be established?

10.  Who has the power to "lay taxes"?

11.  Who succeeds the President if he dies or is removed from office?

12.  What is the jurisdiction of the Supreme and other federal courts?

13.  What happens if one state wants to split up into two states?

14.  What would happen if Castro invaded Florida, or Canada invaded Montana, or Japan tried to take over Hawaii?

15.  Who can declare war?

16.  Who can make treaties, and how?

17.  How does a law get passed?

18.  May individual states coin money?

19.  How many Senators may a state have?

20.  May the Constitution be amended to give some states more Senators than others?

21.  By whom are impeachment trials tried?

22.  How may a President be removed from office?

23.  May the government of the United States confer a title of  nobility; may an official of the United States accept a title of nobility from a foreign country?

24.  How many Representatives in Congress does each state get?

25.  May Congress pass a law that affects rights existing before the passage of the law?

4 D & E.  THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND OTHER AMENDMENTS (MB pp 17-23)

a.   What is the Bill of Rights, and why does it exist?

b.   Name the amendments which control a citizens rights in   relation to court or law enforcement functions?  Name them.

c.   Name the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment.

d.   Which three amendments dealt with slavery and the rights of former slaves?  Which of these also guarantees you valuable rights?

e.   Which three amendments extended the right to vote to different groups?  What groups?

f.   Why can a president only serve two terms?

g.   When was the Constitution last successfully amended?  Do

     you know of any proposed amendments that failed?