Voting is the first thing that comes to mind for most Americans when they think of civic duty. But civic duty means much more than simply going to the polls.

It also means being engaged in your community every day of the year, not just on Election Day. And getting involved can be pretty easy. 

But first: Does getting involved even matter?

America was built on the concept of self-government, the idea that citizens should be allowed to choose, and are best suited to choose, how to live their lives.

But self-government works best when citizens are engaged. Involvement helps us understand the challenges and opportunities our communities face. It’s how we learn what problems need to be solved, and how we get creative about solutions.

For example, let’s say you learn at your child’s Back to School Night that teachers need more books for their classroom libraries. Parents can work together through the PTA to help raise money to purchase books.

But you never would have known about that need if you’d stayed at home on Back to School Night.

Here are five other ways to exercise your civic duty.

1. Understand your rights and responsibilities

When we think of freedom, we think of our rights: the right to worship how we want, or the right to choose who we want to represent us in Congress or the White House.

But freedom depends not only on these rights but also on citizens’ understanding, valuing, and responsible exercise of them.

Founding documents like the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and The Federalist Papers can help better understand principles like individual........

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