Both academics and activists alike have shown concern about the representative nature of democracy in the United States. This concern has been amplified in recent years as the youngest generation has entered the electorate with apathy toward and disinterest in politics. Young people (ages 18-29) historically vote at lower rates than older individuals. Often, the scant rate of young people's participation is explained as a life-cycle effect, suggesting that as they age and go through milestones in their lives where political ramifications are greater, that young people's interest and participation in politics will increase accordingly. Yet, there is concern that perhaps this cohort of young people is distinct from other generations of young people, and that their participation will not follow the natural increase, leading to an even less representative democratic system. This thesis will demonstrate through examining rates of young people's political participation in 1964, 1976, 1988, and 2000 that the current generation of young people is no less apt to vote than their ancestors and are actually more likely to participate in atypical forms of participation than individuals in their age range in previous decades. These implications suggest that perhaps a new form of citizenship is evolving amongst today's young people that may yield a positive change for the future of the United States.