Year 10 - Citizenship
How can citizens change the law?
What tools can we use to challenge injustice in our communities?
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils consider a diverse range of case studies to develop their understanding of how and why people challenge injustice in their communities.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain what tools citizens have to take action to change the law.
Key Notes
- Citizens in the UK have democratic tools to influence or change laws.
- Citizens can join lobbying groups to influence law change, like ASH did with the smoking ban.
- MPs hold surgeries so constituents can raise issues directly and influence change.
- Select committees gather public evidence to help shape recommendations and policy.
- Citizens can support Private Members' bills by asking MPs to take up important causes.
Vocabulary To Learn
- lobbying: when an individual or a group who tries to persuade someone in Parliament to support a particular cause or change a law
- select committee: a group of members of a legislative body chosen to investigate and report on specific issues or topics
- surgery: a meeting held by an MP in their constituency to give people an opportunity to meet them and discuss matters of concern
- Private Members' bill: a proposal for a new law or change to an existing law introduced by a member of a legislative body who is not part of the government
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Ordinary people have no real influence over the laws made in Parliament.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Citizens in the UK have democratic tools to influence or change laws. Citizens can join lobbying groups to influence law change, like ASH did with the smoking ban.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'lobbying'
when an individual or a group who tries to persuade someone in Parliament to support a particular cause or change a law.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Ordinary people have no real influence over the laws made in Parliament. Correction: While politicians vote on laws, citizens play a powerful role in shaping them. By raising awareness, building public support, and working with their MPs, people outside of government have successfully influenced legal changes.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 10 Citizenship guide library.