Duties and Responsibilities

• American citizens have a number of duties and responsibilities -- and there is a difference between the two. The difference may be subtle, but a duty may be defined as something a citizen is obliged to do by law, while a responsibility is something that should be done in accordance with a moral obligation. Some of these commitments are written into the U.S. Constitution.
  
  

Defending the Constitution

• The first duty of an American is to support and defend the Constitution. While this duty is not written in the Constitution itself, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' "Citizen's Almanac" puts this at the center of the nation's ethos and the basis of what being an American is about. The Constitution enshrines the country's system of representative democracy and explains each citizen's right to freedom, liberty and opportunity. The American way of life and its inherent freedoms depend on its citizens supporting the Constitution.
  
  

Obeying the Law

• Also vital to the well-being of the United States is its citizens' duty to obey the law, whether local, state or federal. This is fundamental to any country, for where there is no rule of law, there is chaos. In a nation so large and diverse as the United States, it is vital that citizens respect the rule of law and strive to uphold it.
  
  

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Other duties for Americans include paying taxes: without taxes, the machinery of state ceases to function. Without taxes, the government cannot defend the nation, educate its children, provide health care or supply other services. Citizens are also expected to participate in the democratic process to perpetuate the system of government -- voting is not required, but is a responsibility of conscientious citizens. According to the "Citizen's Almanac," citizens also have a duty to defend the nation through military service or through non-combatant or civilian means in times of war.