Year 10 - Citizenship
How do citizens influence the law?
How can we play a part in the legal system?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils consider a range of roles within the legal system, explore what rights citizens have within the justice system and what influence they can have on the law.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain the factors that influence a citizen being successful or unsuccessful in changing the law.
Key Notes
- Law change succeeds with public support, strong media, political backing, clear goals and expert input.
- A united, well-funded and persistent campaign increases the chance of legal reform.
- The marriage age law changed due to broad support, media coverage and expert-backed advocacy.
- Law change often fails with weak support, poor media and divided political or public opinion.
- Cannabis legalisation struggles due to mixed views, limited backing and lack of consistent advocacy.
Vocabulary To Learn
- factors: elements or conditions that influence an outcome
- campaign: actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim
- influence: the power to affect or change someone's thoughts, actions or decisions
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that success on changing a law is solely dependant on the citizen or citizens.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Law change succeeds with public support, strong media, political backing, clear goals and expert input. A united, well-funded and persistent campaign increases the chance of legal reform.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'factors'
elements or conditions that influence an outcome.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Pupils may think that success on changing a law is solely dependant on the citizen or citizens. Correction: Whilst personal skills of the citizens involved is important, there are many other external factors that can impact success or failure, regardless of how persuasive the individuals trying to change the law are.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Deliberate discussion - Should all citizens take part in the legal system? Study Guide
- How do citizens play a role in policing? Study Guide
- How have trade unions played a part in the legal system? Study Guide
- What key roles do citizens play within the criminal justice system? Study Guide
- Why is Magna Carta still relevant in today's society? Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 10 Citizenship guide library.