A Trip Around the World Part 1 Do citizens in all countries have the same rights and responsibilities?

A Trip Around the WorldA Trip Around the WorldPart 1Part 1

Do citizens in all countries have the same rights and responsibilities?

In most countries, aIn most countries, a

CONSTITUTIONCONSTITUTIONis the basic document of is the basic document of

citizenship.citizenship.Tells how a Tells how a country’s country’s government

government operatesoperates.

Let’s see how constitutions from some other countries compare to ours…

3 CountriesFreedom of SpeechFreedom of the PressFreedom of ReligionEquality Under the Law

Region:Region:

Capital City:Capital City:

Language:Language:

Population:Population:

Area:Area:

South AmericaSouth America

BrasiliaBrasilia

PortugesePortugese

201 million201 million

3.29 million sq miles3.29 million sq miles

Introducing. . .Introducing. . .

Brazilian Students

Iguazu Falls, Brazil

Rio de Janiero, Brazil

Traditional Brazilian dress

One of these is to get rid of poverty and reduce social

and regional inequalities.

Brazil has a constitution like

the United States with some

differences.

Citizens celebrate a win on election day

The Brazilian constitution

COMPARE COMPARE IT!IT!Freedom of SpeechFreedom of Speech

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:

Brazil’s Constitution Brazil’s Constitution says:says:

““Congress shall make Congress shall make no law…abridging no law…abridging the freedom of the freedom of speech…”speech…”

“…“…the expression of thought is free, the expression of thought is free, anonymityanonymity being being forbiddenforbidden…” …”

COMPARE COMPARE IT!IT!Freedom of the PressFreedom of the Press

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:““Congress shall make Congress shall make no law…abridging no law…abridging the freedom.. of the freedom.. of the press…”the press…”

“…“…the expression of thought is free, the expression of thought is free, anonymity being anonymity being forbiddenforbidden…”…”

There is no separate “freedom of the There is no separate “freedom of the press” in Brazil’s constitution.press” in Brazil’s constitution.

““Freedom of speech” works double Freedom of speech” works double duty!duty!

Brazil’s Constitution Brazil’s Constitution says:says:

COMPARE COMPARE IT!IT!FreedomFreedom of Religion of Religion

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:

““FFreedom of conscience and of belief is inviolablereedom of conscience and of belief is inviolable, the , the free exercise of religious cults being ensured and, free exercise of religious cults being ensured and, under the terms of the law, the under the terms of the law, the protection of places of protection of places of worship and their rites being guaranteedworship and their rites being guaranteed…” …”

Brazil’s Constitution Brazil’s Constitution says:says:

““Congress shall make Congress shall make no law respecting an no law respecting an establishment of religionestablishment of religion, or , or prohibiting the free exerciseprohibiting the free exercise thereof…”thereof…”

COMPARE COMPARE IT!IT!Equality Under the LawEquality Under the Law

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:““No State No State shall…shall…dendeny to any person within its jurisdiction the y to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the lawsequal protection of the laws.”.”

““All persons are equal before the lawAll persons are equal before the law, without any , without any distinction whatsoever…”distinction whatsoever…”

Brazil’s Constitution Brazil’s Constitution says:says:

BUT BUT WAIT!WAIT!

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:

““Electoral enrollment and voting are Electoral enrollment and voting are mandatorymandatory for for persons over eighteen years of agepersons over eighteen years of age [and] optional for: a) [and] optional for: a) the illiterate; b) those over seventy years of age; c) those the illiterate; b) those over seventy years of age; c) those over sixteen and under eighteen years of age.”over sixteen and under eighteen years of age.”

Should the United States amend its constitution to say Should the United States amend its constitution to say what Brazil’s constitution says? what Brazil’s constitution says?

Brazil’s Constitution Brazil’s Constitution says:says:

““The The right of citizensright of citizens of the United States, of the United States, who are who are eighteen years of age or oldereighteen years of age or older, to vote , to vote shall not be denied shall not be denied or abridgedor abridged…”…”

Region:Region:

Capital City:Capital City:

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Population:Population:

Area:Area:

Middle EastMiddle East

TehranTehran

Persian & TurkicPersian & Turkic

67 million67 million

1.6 million sq miles1.6 million sq miles

Introducing. . . Introducing. . .

Iranian StudentsIn the capital, Tehran

Northern Iran

Traditional Persian costumes

Iran’s constitution states that the Qur’an, or holy

book of Islam, is the center of rule

in Iran.

Iranians have the right to vote, just like we do here in

the United States.

Iran’s constitution gives citizens the responsibility to

promote the values of the Islamic faith.

These values include things like wearing modest

clothes, not drinking alcohol, and observing other religious

rules.

COMPARE IT!COMPARE IT!Freedom of SpeechFreedom of Speech

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:

Iran’s Constitution says:Iran’s Constitution says:

““Congress shall Congress shall make no law…abridging the make no law…abridging the freedom of freedom of speech…”speech…”

Iran’s constitution Iran’s constitution does not say anythingdoes not say anything about individual people having about individual people having freedom of freedom of speech speech

““Freedom of the press” must do double-Freedom of the press” must do double-duty…duty…

COMPARE IT!COMPARE IT!Freedom of the PressFreedom of the Press

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:““Congress shall make Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedomno law…abridging the freedom.. of .. of the press…”the press…”

““Publications and the press have freedom of expression Publications and the press have freedom of expression exceptexcept when it is where there is when it is where there is infringement of the basic infringement of the basic tenets of Islam or public rightstenets of Islam or public rights. In this respect . In this respect detailed detailed provisions will be laid down by law.” provisions will be laid down by law.”

Iran’s Constitution says:Iran’s Constitution says:

COMPARE IT!COMPARE IT!FreedomFreedom of Religion of Religion

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:

““The The official religion of Iran is Islam official religion of Iran is Islam … and … and this this principleprinciple will remain will remain eternally immutable eternally immutable.”.”

Iran’s Constitution says:Iran’s Constitution says:

““Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians are the only Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians are the only recognized religious minoritiesrecognized religious minorities, who, within the limits of , who, within the limits of the law, are free to perform their religious rites and the law, are free to perform their religious rites and ceremonies…”ceremonies…”

““Congress shall Congress shall make no law respecting an make no law respecting an establishment of religionestablishment of religion, , or prohibiting the free exercise or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”thereof…”

COMPARE IT!COMPARE IT!Equality Under the Equality Under the

LawLaw

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:““No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”the equal protection of the laws.”

““All citizens of the country, both men and women, All citizens of the country, both men and women, equally enjoy the protection of the law…” equally enjoy the protection of the law…”

Iran’s Constitution says:Iran’s Constitution says:

BUT WAIT!BUT WAIT!

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:

““The preservation of the environment … is regarded as a The preservation of the environment … is regarded as a public duty in the Islamic Republic. Economic and other public duty in the Islamic Republic. Economic and other activities that inevitably involve pollution of the activities that inevitably involve pollution of the environment or cause irreparable damage to it are environment or cause irreparable damage to it are therefore forbidden.”therefore forbidden.”

Should the United States amend its constitution to Should the United States amend its constitution to say what Iran’s constitution says? say what Iran’s constitution says?

Iran’s Constitution says:Iran’s Constitution says:

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Region:Region:

Capital City:Capital City:

Language:Language:

Population:Population:

Area:Area:

AfricaAfrica

AccraAccra

English & AkanEnglish & Akan

23 million23 million

238,538 square miles238,538 square miles

Introducing. . .Introducing. . .

Ghanaian Students

Capital of Accra

Elders in traditional Ghanaian dressChildren perform traditional dance

Ghana was the first African

country south of the Sahara

desert to gain its freedom.

Celebrating Ghanaian Independence Day on March 6th!

COMPARE COMPARE IT!IT!Freedom of SpeechFreedom of Speech

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:

Ghana’s Constitution Ghana’s Constitution says:says:

““Congress Congress shall make no law…abridgingshall make no law…abridging the freedom of the freedom of speech…”speech…”

““All All persons shall have the right to…freedom of speech and persons shall have the right to…freedom of speech and expressionexpression… …

[[ButBut the the government may pass lawsgovernment may pass laws that are] that are] reasonably reasonably requiredrequired for for the purpose of safeguarding the people of Ghana against the the purpose of safeguarding the people of Ghana against the teaching teaching … … of a doctrine which of a doctrine which … … encourages disrespect for the encourages disrespect for the nationhood of Ghananationhood of Ghana, the , the national symbols and emblemsnational symbols and emblems, , or incites or incites hatred against other members of the communityhatred against other members of the community ……

COMPARE COMPARE IT!IT!Freedom of the PressFreedom of the Press

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:““Congress shall Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedommake no law…abridging the freedom.. of .. of the press…”the press…”

““All persons shall have the right to freedom of speech and All persons shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, which shall include freedom of the press and expression, which shall include freedom of the press and other media…” other media…”

Ghana’s Constitution Ghana’s Constitution says:says:

The The same restrictions same restrictions for freedom of for freedom of speech also apply to freedom of the press speech also apply to freedom of the press

COMPARE COMPARE IT!IT!Freedom of ReligionFreedom of Religion

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:““Congress shall Congress shall make no law respecting an make no law respecting an establishment of religionestablishment of religion, or , or prohibiting the free exercise prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”thereof…”

““All persons shall have the right to freedom to All persons shall have the right to freedom to practice any religion practice any religion and to manifest such practice…”and to manifest such practice…”

Ghana’s Constitution Ghana’s Constitution says:says:

COMPARE COMPARE IT!IT!Equality Under the LawEquality Under the Law

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:““No State shall…deny No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction to any person within its jurisdiction the the equal protection of the lawsequal protection of the laws.”.”

““All persons All persons shall be shall be equal before the lawequal before the law .”.”

Ghana’s Constitution Ghana’s Constitution says:says:

BUT WAIT!BUT WAIT!

The United States Constitution The United States Constitution says:says:

““All persons All persons shall shall havehave the the right to equal educational right to equal educational opportunities opportunities and facilities and and facilities and … basic education shall be … basic education shall be free, compulsoryfree, compulsory and available to all.” and available to all.”

Should the United States amend its constitution to say Should the United States amend its constitution to say what Ghana’s constitution says? what Ghana’s constitution says?

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Ghana’s Constitution Ghana’s Constitution says:says: