Answers to Handout1 Handout2
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The document provides information about the structure and powers of the US legislative branch: - The Senate has 100 members with 2 per state, 6-year terms, and equal representation among states. The Vice President serves as President of the Senate. - The House of Representatives has 435 members that vary by state population and 2-year terms. It has proportional representation among states. - Both houses can impeach officials, set membership qualifications, elect leaders, and make rules/laws as long as they don't override constitutional powers. - The legislative branch has enumerated powers like taxation and spending, as well as implied powers like regulating commerce between states.
Answers to Handout1 Handout2
- 1. U.S. History Answers to Handout #1 and Handout #2 Senate ---------------- 1. Total # = 100 2. Per State = 2 3. Length of Term = 6 years 4. Minimum Age = 30 5. Citizenship Requirement = 9 years 6. ⅓ of the entire Senate is elected every two years 7. Has power to try impeachment (act as judge and jury) 8. The Senate = equal representation 9. The Vice-President is the President of the Senate 10. Elects the President Pro Temp to run meetings House of Representatives ----------------------------------- 1. Totals = 435 2. Per state = varies based on population 3. Length of Term = 2 years 4. Minimum Age = 25 5, Citizenship Requirement = 7 years 6. 435/435 of the entire house is elected every two years 7. Has power to impeach (officially charge an official) 8. The House of Representatives = proportional representation 9. Elects a Speaker of the House The Legislative Branch is “Senate” and “House of Representatives” We have a bicameral legislature Here is what both Houses of Congress have in common --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Decides if members are qualified to serve 2. Cannot hold other government jobs or receive salary from other government jobs 3. Cannot be arrested for civil crimes while they are meeting 4. Elects its own officers 5. Paid out of the Treasury of the United States 6. Must meet at least once a year 7. More than half the members need to be present to conduct meetings ( quorum ) 8. Has law-making officers 9. Sets up own rules of operations 10. Members can be punished for disorderly behavior, or even expelled
- 2. 11. Must keep official records of its proceedings 12. Must live in the state in which they are elected 13.Preamble an introduction to a formal document, especially the Constitution 14. Federalism the sharing of power between the federal and state governments 15. Enumerated Powers powers belong only to the federal government 16. Reserved Powers powers retained by the states 17. Concurrent Powers powers shared by the federal and state government 18. Checks and Balances a system of government where the branches of the government check and limit the other branches 19. Amendments changes to the Constitution 20. Implied Powers powers are not specifically defined in the Constitution 21. Judicial Review the rights of the Supreme Court to determine if a law violates the Constitution 22. How does the Preamble outline the goals of the Constitution? variable answers per person. PowerPoint based on Red Textbook says: We the People = The power of government comes from the people in order to form a more perfect union = states need to agree as one country establish justice = treat each citizen equally insure domestic tranquility = keep peace among the people provide for the common defense = power to maintain armed forces in protecting the country promote the general welfare = maintain order, protect individual liberties, try to keep citizen from poverty, hunger, and disease secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity = guarantee that no American’s basic rights can be taken away now or for posterity 23. What are the three underlying principles of the Constitution? popular sovereignty, limited government, federalism 24. Why is Constitution called a “living” Constitution? it is strong but flexible - in other words, it can be modified yet has enough structure to survive over many, many years
- 3. Article I, Section 8 1. Which branch of government has the power to raise taxes? Legislative Branch 2. Congress can borrow money 3. Congress can regulate trade with foreign nations and between the states (INTERSTATE) and with Indian Tribes 4. Congress can decide how people will become citizens. This process is called Naturalization. 5. Congress can create uniform bankruptcy laws across the country 6. Congress can coin money 7. Congress decides on uniform measurements and weights 8. Congress regulates counterfeiting laws 9. Congress can create new Post Offices 10. Congress can create Patent and Copyright laws 11. Define “patent”: It is an exclusive right given to an inventor to make, use, and sell his invention for a certain period of time 12. Define “copyright”: It is the exclusive right for a person to publish and sell his or her literary, musical, or artistic work 13. Congress can create lower courts 14. Congress can create laws for the high seas 15. Congress has the sole power to declare war 16. SKIP/IGNORE 17. Congress can create letters of marque and reprisal which authorizes a ship to attack the shipping of an enemy without being punished as a pirate 18. Congress has the power to raise an army 19. Funding of an army can only be in two year appropriations 20. Define appropriation: an act of a legislature authorizing money to be paid from the treasury for a specified use 21. Congress can maintain a navy 22. Congress can make rules for the army and the navy 23. State militia now known as the National Guard, are organized by each state. Congress can call them to duty at any time. Congress can make laws to govern the procedures recruiting and training officers 24. Congress can make a capital city and regulate all land owned by the US 25. The Elastic Clause also known as the “Necessary and Proper Clause”; this, along with the Commerce Clause represents “implied” power 26. Congress cannot regulate the slave trade until 1808 27. Congress cannot suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus UNLESS in cases of rebellion and invasion 28. Congress cannot pass Bill of Attainder (a legislative act that punishes a person without a trial) or ex post facto laws (those that criminalize actions after the fact) 29. Congress cannot tax exports 30. Congress cannot spend money without a law 31. Government officials cannot accept titles of nobility
- 4. 32. The President and Congress cannot accept gifts from foreigner without Congressional approval 33. States cannot make treaties with other countries, they cannot pass Bills of Attainder, or pass ex post facto laws, they cannot grant Marque and Reprisal, coin money 34. States cannot regulate foreign trade or interstate trade 35. States cannot keep a standing army or declare war; except for invasion