Unit 4: The Legislative Branch

Question 1

congress

Answer 1

bicameral legislature that writes the laws for the united states

Question 2

bicameral

Answer 2

having two branches or chambers

Question 3

house of representatives

Answer 3

congress house with one representative for each state district (435 members)

Question 4

senate

Answer 4

congress house with two representatives for each state (50 members)

Question 5

seventeenth amendment

Answer 5

allowed voters to cast direct votes for united states senators

Question 6

revenue bills

Answer 6

bills that increase or decrease the total revenues available for appropriation

Question 7

impeachment

Answer 7

charge of misconduct made against a holder of a public office

Question 8

articles of impeachment

Answer 8

documented written statement of charges relied upon of the basis for removing an individual from office

Question 9

confirmation hearings

Answer 9

hearing held by the united states senate to gather information about candidates for federal office by the president

Question 10

senate president

Answer 10

presiding officer of the senate, usually the vice president

Question 11

chief justice

Answer 11

presiding judge of the supreme court of the united states

Question 12

reapportionment

Answer 12

redistribution of seats in the house of representatives based on changes in population

Question 13

census

Answer 13

official count or survey of a population, happening in the united states every 10 years

Question 14

reapportionment act of 1929

Answer 14

allowed states to draw districts of varying sizes and shapes or abandon districts altogether

Question 15

redistricting

Answer 15

redrawing of congressional districts following the census to accommodate population shifts and keep the districts equal in population

Question 16

single member district

Answer 16

electoral system in which a country is divided into many election districts each having one singular candidate

Question 17

malapportionment

Answer 17

inequitable or unsuitable apportioning of representatives to a legislative body

Question 18

wesburry v. sanders (1964)

Answer 18

ruled that congressional districts must be equal in population - one man, one vote

Question 19

baker v. carr (1964)

Answer 19

ruled that federal courts could hear cases alleging that a states drawing of electoral boundaries violates the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment

Question 20

gerrymandering

Answer 20

act of manipulating the boundaries of an electoral district to favor one party

Question 21

elbridge gerry

Answer 21

signed into law a redistricting plan designed to keep his political party in power in the 1812 election

Question 22

excessive vote

Answer 22

gerrymandering to concentrate opposition voters

Question 23

wasted vote

Answer 23

gerrymandering to spread out opposition voters

Question 24

stacked vote

Answer 24

gerrymandering to concentrate power of majority party / own party

Question 25

contiguous territory

Answer 25

law that districts must be completely unbroken and always touch

Question 26

compact territory

Answer 26

law that districts must be as focused in one area as possible and very little spread out

Question 27

1965 voting rights act

Answer 27

outlawed discriminatory voting practices such as literacy tests

Question 28

racial gerrymandering

Answer 28

creating district boundaries specifically to benefit minority groups

Question 29

shaw v. reno (1993)

Answer 29

ruled that north carolina’s redistricting based on race was unconstitutional

Question 30

sophomore surge

Answer 30

incumbents almost always win primary elections

Question 31

pork barrel spending

Answer 31

government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district

Question 32

safe district

Answer 32

electoral district regarded as fully secure for a party or incumbent where the margin is at least 60% of the vote

Question 33

career politician

Answer 33

person who approaches to politics as a profession and have long political careers

Question 34

casework

Answer 34

response or services that members of congress provide to constituents who request assistance

Question 35

franking privilege

Answer 35

ability to send mail by ones signature rather than by postage

Question 36

delegate

Answer 36

representational view - vote to please constituents and therefore get reelected

Question 37

weakness of view

Answer 37

constituents may not have clear view of policy issues and vice versa to congress members

Question 38

partisan

Answer 38

organizational view - vote to please colleagues

Question 39

trustee

Answer 39

attitudinal view - vote based on own opinion

Question 40

politico

Answer 40

combination of trustee, partisan, and delegate voting styles