Chapter 5 - The Legislative Branh

Question 1

proportional representation

Answer 1

House members representing a particular piece of the population in their state.

Question 2

apportionment

Answer 2

how the 435 House seats are divided among the states.

Question 3

census

Answer 3

a counting of the number of people in an area, done every 10 years

Question 4

gerrymandering

Answer 4

drawing up congressional district maps to favor one political party over another

Question 5

17th Amendment

Answer 5

1913 Amendment that allowed for Senators to be elected by their state’s voters, not by the state legislatures.

Question 6

caucus

Answer 6

a private meeting of a political party to decide on policy or choose their leaders

Question 7

quorum

Answer 7

the required number of people needed for a meeting to do business

Question 8

bill

Answer 8

a proposed new law

Question 9

filibuster, Cloture Rule

Answer 9

Clotures limit a Senator to only talk 1 hour on a bill, which limits a filibuster. A filibuster is endless talking on a bill to stall the vote on it.

Question 10

voice vote, standing vote, roll-call vote

Answer 10

voice votes are “ayes/nays” yelled out and estimated, standing votes require standing, and roll-call votes are written down so the public can be clear how each politician voted.

Question 11

presidential veto

Answer 11

The President’s power to forbid a policy, even if the legislature wants to put it in place.

Question 12

legislative veto

Answer 12

Congress’s power to forbid a policy, regardless of what the President wants

Question 13

“necessary and proper” clause

Answer 13

Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the Constitution which lays out the expressed and implied powers of Congress

Question 14

impeachment

Answer 14

bringing a formal accusation against an official

Question 15

Speaker of the House

Answer 15

The presiding officer of the House of Reps

Question 16

president of the Senate

Answer 16

the Vice President of the United States. (so the VP serves under the executive branch AND provides over part of the legislative branch)

Question 17

president pro tem

Answer 17

temporary president of the Senate when the VP isn’t available

Question 18

whip

Answer 18

the assistant to the floor leader in the House or Senate, helping to communicate to/from party members

Question 19

implied vs expressed powers

Answer 19

implied powers are not specifically stated in the Constitution while expressed powers ARE specifically stated in the Constitution

Question 20

House of Representatives

Answer 20

The LOWER house of Congress with 435 representatives, 2-year terms, elections in even years, and meant to be the “People’s House”

Question 21

Senate

Answer 21

The UPPER house of Congress; 100 Senators (2 per state for “equal representation”), 6-year terms, meant to reflect the States’ interests.

Question 22

delegate

Answer 22

a representative who votes how his population back home (“constituents”) want him to

Question 23

Congress

Answer 23

the legislative branch of our government, comprised of two parts

Question 24

Although all members of Congress are congressmen/women, usually the term refers to which house members?

Answer 24

House of Representatives–NOT the Senators.

Question 25

Similarities of both houses of Congress

Answer 25

both have elected members, work within political parties (Democrats/Republicans), have standing committees and make laws.

Question 26

General Election Day

Answer 26

The Tuesday after the First Monday in November in even-numbered years

Question 27

3 Qualifications of House of Rep members

Answer 27

25 yrs old minimum, been a citizen for 7 years at least, you are a resident of the state you are running to represent

Question 28

3 Qualifications of Senators

Answer 28

30 yrs old minimum, been a citizen for 9 years at least, you are a resident of the state you are running to represent