branches of government

Question 1

Label federalist or anti federalist
1. __ for the constitution
2. __ worried the central gov. would squash individual
3. __ said the greatest threat was states losing power and independence
4. __ said checks and balances protected individual rights and state rights
5. __ consisted of shopkeepers, laborers, small farmers

Answer 1

1. Fed
2. anti-
3. anti-
4. fed
5. anti-

Question 2

power the government has

Answer 2

enumerated power

Question 3

powers that state only have

Answer 3

reserved power

Question 4

what both federal government and states can do

Answer 4

co-current power

Question 5

legislative branch is also called

Answer 5

congress

Question 6

congress consists of

Answer 6

both houses (house of rep. and senate)

Question 7

madison referred to congress as

Answer 7

the first branch of givernment

Question 8

congress consist of a

Answer 8

bicameral legislature
1. house
2. senate

Question 9

House of representative =

Answer 9

lower house

Question 10

senate =

Answer 10

upper house

Question 11

the lower house (house of rep. ) =

Answer 11

most contact with the people

Question 12

what is a unique feature of congress (legislative)

Answer 12

there is not an equal sharing of power between the 2 chambers

Question 13

what is the implication of congress?

Answer 13

passing new laws is difficult (both chambers must come to an absolute agreement before a law is enacted)

Question 14

what are the 5 roles of congress?

Answer 14

1. represents the views of constituents (the people)
2. be of services to the people (constituents) in dealing with the national gov.
3. provide oversight of the actions of the president and their administration
4. provide public education and programs, and set policy (public goods)
5. provide institutional resolution of societal conflict

Question 15

defined as the practice of having two legislative chambers

Answer 15

bicameralism

Question 16

a bicameral national legislature is composed of

Answer 16

two separate chambers
the senate and the house of rep.

Question 17

why does the bicameral system require BOTH houses to pass identical bills?

Answer 17

to insure that the two houses ultimately reach an agreement about the law they send to the president

Question 18

T/F the two houses can pass different bills to the president

Answer 18

False; they must pass identical bills

Question 19

the constitutional father envision congress as a place where

Answer 19

social disputes / big debates can be handled

Question 20

how long does someone serve in the House of REp.

Answer 20

2 years

Question 21

the house was designed by framers to be

Answer 21

closer to the people and more responsive to their interests

Question 22

in the house seats are based on

Answer 22

population

Question 23

what occurs during each census

Answer 23

boundaries must be withdrawn (435 districts)

Question 24

seats based on population comes from which plan developed in the constitutional convention

Answer 24

the virgina plan

Question 25

The manipulative dividing of election district boundaries to give a majority advantage to one party

Answer 25

gerrymandering

Question 26

the senate was designed to

Answer 26

give representation to the states

Question 27

how long does one serve if they are a member of the senate and elections are

Answer 27

6 years w/ staggered elections

Question 28

how many seats of the senate are up for election at a time

Answer 28

1/3 of seats

Question 29

why do only 1/3 of the senate get elected at a time? (3)

Answer 29

1. reduce the tendency toward drastic changes in membership
2. resist large swing in public opinion
3. slow down legislating processes (resist fast changes in legislation)

Question 30

what are the age requirements of the senate? why?

Answer 30

they are higher than the house because older people are less likely to embrace radical changes

Question 31

what are the 4 leaderships in the house

Answer 31

1. speaker of the house
2. majority leader
3. minority leader
4. majority and minority whip

Question 32

what is the only house leadership position mentioned in the constitution

Answer 32

the speaker of the house

Question 33

the speaker of the house is the only house leadership position mentioned in the constitution (true/false)

Answer 33

True

Question 34

what do party whips do?

Answer 34

whip party into shape
help calculating vote numbers
gives the party leader information

Question 35

leadership in the senate (3)

Answer 35

1. vice president
2. president pro tempore
3. majority and minority leaders and whips

Question 36

runs the senate on a day-to-day basis if VP is not there

Answer 36

president pro tempore

Question 37

the senate leadership is more powerful than the house (T/F)

Answer 37

false
the senate leadership is less powerful than the house

Question 38

which leadership positions are more powerful the senate or the house?

Answer 38

The HOUSE

Question 39

what are some roles of the speaker of the house? (6)

Answer 39

1. assigns new bills to committees
2. recognize members to speak
3. arbiter and interpreter of house rules
4. points members to serve on special committees
5. influential role in assigning members to a particular permanent committees
6. schedules votes on a bill

Question 40

who are members of congress? (4)

Answer 40

1. do not represent the US
2. rich, better educated, male, older, more religious
3. average age is 60 yrs old
4. Jews and protestant overrepresented
   nonreligious underrepresented