Junior High Civics

GRADE 7 & 8 CIVICS FIRST SEMESTER NOTES
Period One Outlines

 Definition And Importance Of Civics
 Democracy And Citizen Participation
 Civic Education And Awareness
 Accountability and transparency
 Local Governance
 Civic Engagement And Social Responsibility
DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE OF CIVICS

Civics is the branch of social science which deals with the rights, duties and
responsibilities of citizens. It is from civics that citizens come to know,
understand, and realize their rights as citizens and how their government is
organized and how well it operates. Civics is a branch of political science and
political science is one of the social sciences. Political science is sometimes
regarded as the most Important body of knowledge which deals with
authority and power in an organized society or state. A social science deals
with man in so many ways. Three other branches of social science are:
History, Geography, and Economics.
 History is the study of the past and present events. It is the record of
what man has done.
 Geography is the study of the earth and its people. It is primarily
concerned with how life, including human life is distributed on the
earth.
 Economics is concerned with the organization and management of a
nation's resources.
Additionally, it is very important to keep in mind that citizenship comes with

a set of rights, duties, and responsibility that form the foundation of a
harmonious and democratic society. Understanding and exercising these
rights, fulfilling duties, and embracing responsibilities are essential for active
citizenship. The Liberian civics serves as a guide for citizens to understand
their rights, responsibilities, and the functioning of democratic institutions.
Civics plays a vital role in shaping the functioning of a democratic society.
Page 1 of 7 SMART SERIES FIRST EDITION

Understanding the principles of civics is essential for building an informed
and engaged citizenry.
DEMOCRACY AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Liberia embraces the principles of democracy, which provide citizen with the
opportunity to participate in the decision-making processes of the nation.
Citizens exercise their democratic rights through voting in elections, engaging
in public discourse, and joining political parties of civil society organizations.
Civic Education And Awareness

A citizen who is not informed is a burden to society. Civic education is crucial
for promoting informed citizenship and active civic engagement. Schools,
community organizations, and government initiatives play a role in providing
civic education to enhance citizens’ understanding of their rights,
responsibilities, and the functioning of democratic institutions.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

Holding public officials accountable for their actions is essential for good
governance and the prevention of corruption. Transparency in governance
promotes open access to information, encourages citizen oversight, and
fosters trust in public institutions.
LOCAL GOVERNANCE
Liberia practices a decentralized system of governance, with counties and
local authorities having the power to make decisions and address local
needs. Local governance enables citizens to participate in decision-making
processes at the grassroots level, promoting community development and
responsiveness.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Civic engagement involves actively participating in the community,
addressing social issues, and working towards the betterment of society.
Liberia recognizes the importance of social responsibility, encouraging
citizens to contribute to national development through volunteerism,
philanthropy, and community services.

Period Two Outlines
 Ethics And Values
 The Rule Of Law
 Citizenship And National Identity
ETHICS AND VALUES

Ethics are the principles by which a person judges right and wrong, good and
bad, worthy and not worthy in the context of his or her society. In the
absence of good ethics in a given society, there would be selfishness,
lawlessness, theft, cheating etc. This would, in turn, cause poverty and
underdevelopment. Some of the positive values shared by societies in our
country include sociability, eating together, cooperating during joy and
sorrow, helping the needy, mutual respect and respecting older people.
Our society needs students to accept and apply these values. Students need
to be committed and responsible citizens, furthermore, they need to respect
work, love their country and people and respect the rights of others.
Therefore, they are expected to follow and preserve these and other moral
values. When this happens our country will be freed from backwardness and
poverty. Students have to understand that this will only be possible through
the efforts of the citizens of the country themselves and not through the
efforts of others.
LIMITS OF POWER
Public officials are persons appointed by government or elected by a people
in order to lead, administrate and work in public offices. These government
officials will be given enough power to properly discharge their
responsibilities. The power given to them is clearly stated in laws and rules.
Therefore, even though the officials have power, they shall act only within
the legally given limits to their power. However, if they act beyond the legal
limits of their power, they will be held accountable. For example, a given
official cannot arrest citizens and cannot cause them to be punished without
a court order. If he does so, this means that he has acted beyond the legal
limits of his power. Limiting the power of government officials is needed for:
 preventing the violation of human and democratic rights of citizens.

 protecting the rule of law from being endangered.
 establishing transparent and accountable systems.
 providing the appropriate services to the society.
 preventing discriminatory practices and lawlessness.
THE RULE OF LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The rule of law ensure that all individuals, regardless of their status, are
subject, are subject to and protected by the law. Liberia recognizes and
upholds fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, liberty,
equality, and freedom of expression, among others.
The rule of law is also one of the basic principle of a democratic system. It is
a pillar on which the democratic system is constructed. According to this
principle, everyone is equal before the law. This means that there shall be no
discrimination on the basis of sex, ethnicity, wealth, social status etc. Thus,
every decision and action of the government body shall be in accordance
with the law, rather than the personal intention of officials. Thus, in a
democratic system every citizen, even the lawmaker is under the law.
CITIZENSHIP AND NATIONAL IDENTITY

Not all who live in a state are citizens of that state. Citizens occupy a special
place in every state. Citizenship does not imply that those who regard
themselves as citizens ought to have a common historical origin or practice
the same religion, even though common origin and religion strengthen the
bonds of citizenship. All citizens look upon themselves as members of the
same political community and subscribe to the political customs and
traditions of that community. For all citizens, the political institutions of the
state seek their common interests. In short, citizens are those persons in a
state who pay allegiance to that state. because they place the welfare and
interest of their state above all others. Citizens also give loyalty to or obey
the laws of their state and perform their civic duties, such as the payment of
taxes and promoting government's image. In return the state protects
citizens. Citizens also enjoy certain rights as opposed to aliens. Citizens
participate in the decision-making process by voting and holding public office

which aliens are not allowed to do. These are but a few of the ways in which
citizens differ from aliens.
A citizen who is inadequately informed is a burden on society: as much as a

citizen who is wrongly and incorrectly informed is a threat to society. For
Liberia to remain stable and make progress, its citizens should understand
how their system of government operates and why they should participate in
conducting the affairs of that government. Liberian citizens should be
correctly informed about how their economic system works and why and
how Liberia interacts with the other members of the international political
system.
Citizens learn their duties and responsibilities from a number of institutions

in society. One of the institutions is the family, the first in which individuals
learn how to become useful citizens. The family provides food, shelter, and
care for its members in their earlier years. It teaches its young members the
skills they will need in life as well as the traditions and values of their society.
This is why it is the obligation of the state to create the enabling
environment for the growth and development of the family unit. Another
major institution which teaches citizens their duties and responsibilities is the
school. In school, students learn about the origin of their nation, its heroes,
heroines. the challenges it has faced and the progress it has also made. In
short, the school is noted for molding the whole individual; to developing the
citizen socially, spiritually. intellectually and economically. Accordingly,
government and civil society should cooperate in the operation of an
efficient educational system so that it can produce citizens who will fully
perform their duties and responsibilities.
Liberian citizenship is obtained through birth, descent, naturalization, or
marriage to a Liberian citizen.
Assignment
1. Briefly discuss each of the following ways of becoming a citizen of Liberia:
Citizen by birth, descent, naturalization, marriage.

Period Three Outlines
 Rights, Duties, and Responsibilities of citizens
Rights, Duties, and Responsibilities of citizens

Citizenship is not only about having rights; it also entails fulfilling duties and
embracing responsibilities. In a democratic society, citizens play a crucial role
in shaping the nation's progress and well-being. In this section, we will
explore the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens, highlighting their
significance in promoting a harmonious and participatory society.
Rights Of Citizens
Rights provide individuals with freedoms and protections. They should be
exercised responsibly and with respect for the rights of others.
It is important to recognize that rights come with certain limitations to

ensure a fair and equitable society. For example, freedom of speech does not
include hate speech or incitement to violence.
Rights are fundamental entitlements that individuals possess as members of

a society. Common rights include:
 right to Life: Every citizen has the right to life, safety, and security.
 Right to Freedom: Citizens have the freedom of speech, expression,
religion, assembly, and association.
 Right to Equality: Every citizen should be treated equally under the law,
regardless of race, gender, religion, or social status.
 Right to Education and Healthcare: Citizens have the right to access
quality education and healthcare services.
 Right to Vote: Citizens have the right to participate in the democratic
process through voting and expressing their political views.
Duties Of Citizens
Duties are obligations that citizens are expected to fulfill for the betterment
of society.

Common duties include:
 Duty to Obey Laws: Citizens must respect and abide by the laws of their
country.
 Obeying the law and respecting the rights of others
 Paying taxes to support public services and infrastructure
 Participating in jury duty, if called upon
 Serving in the military, if required
Responsibilities of citizens
 Respecting and promoting human rights and equality
 Protecting the environment and conserving resources
 Engaging in community service and volunteer work
 Supporting and respecting cultural diversity
 Promoting tolerance, empathy, and peaceful coexistence
Period Four Outlines

 System of Goverment
 Branches of the Liberian government
Period Five Outlines

 The Local Government
Period Six Outlines

 The constitution of Liberia

Junior High Civics

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GRADE 7 & 8 CIVICS FIRST SEMESTER NOTES

Period One Outlines

DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE OF CIVICS

Additionally, it is very important to keep in mind that citizenship comes with

Page 1 of 7 SMART SERIES FIRST EDITION

DEMOCRACY AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Civic Education And Awareness

ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Page 2 of 7 SMART SERIES FIRST EDITION

ETHICS AND VALUES

 preventing the violation of human and democratic rights of citizens.

Page 3 of 7 SMART SERIES FIRST EDITION

THE RULE OF LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS

CITIZENSHIP AND NATIONAL IDENTITY

Page 4 of 7 SMART SERIES FIRST EDITION

A citizen who is inadequately informed is a burden on society: as much as a

Citizens learn their duties and responsibilities from a number of institutions

Page 5 of 7 SMART SERIES FIRST EDITION

Rights, Duties, and Responsibilities of citizens

It is important to recognize that rights come with certain limitations to

Rights are fundamental entitlements that individuals possess as members of

Page 6 of 7 SMART SERIES FIRST EDITION

Period Four Outlines

Period Five Outlines

Period Six Outlines

Page 7 of 7 SMART SERIES FIRST EDITION

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