Lesson 2: Citizens and Government During Times of Conflict
| Site: | MoodleHUB.ca 🍁 |
| Course: | Social 30-2 RVS |
| Book: | Lesson 2: Citizens and Government During Times of Conflict |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Monday, 27 October 2025, 8:12 AM |
1. Introduction
Citizenship and Government During Times of Conflict
Issue Question: To what extent should ideology shape your thinking and actions as a citizen?
- In what ways might the rights, roles and responsibilities of citizens be affected by the actions of government during times of conflict?
Duration: 2 blocks (80 mins each + homework)
In this lesson you will examine the various ways in in which the rights, roles and responsibilities of citizens might be affected by the actions of governments during times of conflict. As a citizen of Canada, you have certain rights and responsibilities, which you learned about in unit seven. You also have a role to play in the way your country is governed and in the way society works. Your rights, including basic freedoms and civil rights as guaranteed in the Charter, are limited by those values that society considers significant enough to require protection. Continue on with the lesson, where you will examine three case studies to explore the issue of ideology, citizenship and the government during times of conflict.
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2. Lesson
Case Study 1: Citizenship and Aboriginal Participation in the First and Second World Wars
Read pages 405-406 in your textbook, Understandings of Ideologies, and answer the following questions.
1. What roles did Aboriginal soldiers often fill because they were skilled trappers and hunters?
2. How were many Aboriginal soldiers treated when they served in the Armed Forces?
3. Did Aboriginal war veterans receive the same benefits as non-aboriginal veterans?
4. Why do you think so many Aboriginal soldiers have believed that during times of conflict citizenship meant fighting for a country that had a long history of repression of their people?
5. How might the Aboriginal soldiers' ideological beliefs and values and understandings of individual and collective citizenship have guided their decision making despite past actions by governments in Canada?
Case Study 2: Citizenship and Anti-War Movements
Another way that people can express their citizenship in a democratic society is to take part in movements or protests against their government's decision to participate or not participate in a war. Anti-war movements generally involve citizens engaged in non-violent actions, such as protests, to persuade their government not to participate in a war.
One of the most controversial wars in American history was the Vietnam War, which lasted from 1954-1975. It was a conflict between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam, which was backed by the US. Please watch the video clip below to learn about the Vietnam War and anti-war movements.
Case Study 3: Citizenship and Pro-democracy Movements
Please read pages 409-411 of your textbook, Understandings of Ideologies and answer the questions below.
1. Who were the two candidates in the Ukrainian election of 2004? Identify who was backing each candidate.
2. Who was declared the winner of the election?
3. What was the response of Ukrainian citizens to the results of the election?
4. Were the citizens of the Ukraine successful in their pro-democracy movement? Explain using details.
Self-Check your answers here.
3. Conclusion
Individual ideology and the collective experiences of people can affect how individuals and groups interpret and practice their rights, roles and responsibilities in response to a government's actions during times of conflict. Sometimes, despite the decisions made by their government, individuals and groups take action based on their ideological convictions.