Chapter 10 Flashcards
What government does USA have?
Representive
National Law making body
Congress
what branch is congress in?
Legislative
What did James Madison refer the legislative branch as?
The First Branch
Goal of Congress:
Translating public will into public policy in form of law
two house legislature
bicarmel
Historical reason for bicarmel
The British (Great Britain) had a bicarmel in Parliament of 1300’s
Only state that is unicarmel today
Nebraska
Practical reason for bicarmel
settle conflict with New Jersey Plan and Virginia Plan
How does bicarmel reflect federalism?
Separation of powers of partiers; equal representation
Theoretical reason for bicarmel
to have a system of checks and balances to diffuse overpowering parties
term for Congress
2 years
What changed the date to start a new term
20th Amendment
period of time during which each year congress assembles
session
how many sessions does congress have
1 per year
begins
convene
suspends session
adjourns
suspend business for a time period
recess
how many joint special sessions called by president
27
Members in HOR
435
Term for HOR
2 years
redistribute seats after each decennial census
reapportionment
how many seats originally in HOR
65
what brought number of house members to 435
Census of 1910
made permanent number of sets in House
Reapportionment Act of 1929
Why do party in power loose some power in off year elections
people want change
does constitution call for districts?
No
What did districts get rid of?
General Ticket
two things districts must conform
- ) Appropriate size
2. ) Constant
problems with districts
States ignored along with congress
3 parts of gerrymandering
Packing, Cracking, and Kidnapping
Explain packing a district
concentrate the opposing party into one district
explain cracking
spread out opposing party in all districts
goal of gerrymandering
to win automatically or create safe districts
explain kidnapping
redraw district to put opposing party out of advantage
court case ruling population differences among congressional districts were so; population has to be equal, but didn’t end gerrymandering
Wesbury v Sanders, 1964
Qualifications for HOR
25 years age
7 years Citizen
Live in district
informal qualities
vote getting ability
Senate naem
Upper House
what establishes two senators
the constitution
who chose state senators first
state legislatures
what changed the way senators were picked
17th amendment - popular vote
term for senators
6 years
how many seats are up for reelection
1/3
qualities of senate
30 year sold
9 years citizen
inhabitant of state
how can senate censor
2/3 vote
how many members were expelled from senate
15
five major roles of congress
legislators, represent of constituents, committee members, servants to constituents, politicians
