صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[graphic][subsumed][subsumed]

I

IV

AM an American. I am a citizen of the American

Republic, first and greatest in the world. My country is a Union of Free States, under one central government which is chosen by the people and in which all have equal rights.

The central government is called the Federal Government. It meets at Washington, the Capital of the United States. Washington is named for George Washington, the first President.

Each State has its own capital city with a capital building called a State House, where the State Government meets. Each city in a State has a City Hall where the City Government meets. And every little town in the State has a Town Hall where the Town Government meets.

The City Government is the manager of the business of that city, the things that belong to all the people together. The head of the management is called a Mayor.

The bigger, harder things, that belong to all the cities and towns together, are managed by the State Government. The head of the State Government is called a Governor.

The very biggest, hardest things, that belong to all the people everywhere, are managed by the Federal Government. And the head of the Federal Government, as we know, is the President.

From the smallest town to the great city of Washington, all this management of the people's business is chosen by the citizens. It is a government by "popular representation."

The Union of Free States under a Federal Government, with popular representation, was all thought out for us by the wise men who made the first plan

of our Government. This was called the Constitution of the United States, and it has made our country the happiest and safest country in the world. Washington and thirty other men made it, and it has been made better since by other wise men. A constitution is a plan of government.

[ocr errors]

Our Constitution is a great treasure, a precious inheritance of Liberty. It has been studied and followed by free nations all over the world.

As a loyal American I will obey the laws of my City, my State, and my country. I will do my best to keep these laws fair and equal. I will obey and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.

[graphic][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

HE Stars and Stripes fly over the City Hall in

TH

my city. The City Government, with the Mayor as its head, meets there to manage the city business. The Mayor is chosen by the citizens every few years, and the Aldermen that is, the biggest committee

are chosen every few years. There are twelve Aldermen.

There is a great deal of city business, and many committees manage it.

The schoolhouses have to be kept in order and new

ones built. Teachers have to be chosen, books have to be bought, janitors have to be hired. Coal has to be bought, and many other things. Most of all, the studies of the children have to be kept useful, and enough like those of other towns so that it will do no harm when a family moves from one town to another.

The streets have to be mended and new ones made. The water pipes have to be cared for and the water kept pure.

The fire department has to be chosen and engines bought.

The playgrounds and the town parks have to be kept in order.

There must be a judge, and a court, and police, and a jail, to protect all the town from law-breaking.

All this costs much money. It is all paid for with the citizens' money, your fathers' and mothers' money.

All government is paid for with the people's money, whether the government is a republic or a monarchy. It has to be so, for there is no other money. So we see how fair it is that government should be by popular representation.

It is very important for the citizens to choose a good government to spend their money. A foolish

« السابقةمتابعة »