How is Congress Organized
The United States Congress, part of our Legislative Branch, is made up of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together they are known as Congress. Our legislative branch is known as a bicameral legislature because it has two houses. (bi = 2, cameral = house). It is divided into both the House and the Senate and they work together to pass laws.
When our founding fathers were discussing and writing the Constitution, the 13 colonies were divided between small states and large states. The small states wanted to have equal representation so that their voices were heard and large states wanted to have representation based on population because they wanted more power. Their argument was that more people should equal more power. The small states disagreed and they thought all states should have equal power. These became known as the large state and small state plans. Eventually, the compromise created the bicameral legislature, which combined both plans. The small state plan became the Senate and the large state plan became the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives consists of 435 members and this number is based on proportional representation. This means that the number of representatives each state has in the House is based on its population. (proportional = depends on population) States with bigger populations have more representatives than states with smaller populations. This was done so that states with larger populations would have more influence in one side of Congress. There is one representative for roughly every 600,000 American citizens.
How does our government know our population? Well, the constitution requires that every 10 years the government conducts a “census” which counts the number of citizens in our country so that the number of representatives can be determined. So you could say that the number of members from each state depends on the population.
The Senate consists of 100 representatives and this number is based on equal representation. This means that every state has an equal number of Senators. Each state has two senators. (50 states with two senators = 100 Senators) States with large populations and states with small populations both have a total of two senators here. This was done to make sure that small states would not be overruled by larger states.
After reading the description of our Congress and watching the video provided, answer the questions on your note sheet.
When our founding fathers were discussing and writing the Constitution, the 13 colonies were divided between small states and large states. The small states wanted to have equal representation so that their voices were heard and large states wanted to have representation based on population because they wanted more power. Their argument was that more people should equal more power. The small states disagreed and they thought all states should have equal power. These became known as the large state and small state plans. Eventually, the compromise created the bicameral legislature, which combined both plans. The small state plan became the Senate and the large state plan became the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives consists of 435 members and this number is based on proportional representation. This means that the number of representatives each state has in the House is based on its population. (proportional = depends on population) States with bigger populations have more representatives than states with smaller populations. This was done so that states with larger populations would have more influence in one side of Congress. There is one representative for roughly every 600,000 American citizens.
How does our government know our population? Well, the constitution requires that every 10 years the government conducts a “census” which counts the number of citizens in our country so that the number of representatives can be determined. So you could say that the number of members from each state depends on the population.
The Senate consists of 100 representatives and this number is based on equal representation. This means that every state has an equal number of Senators. Each state has two senators. (50 states with two senators = 100 Senators) States with large populations and states with small populations both have a total of two senators here. This was done to make sure that small states would not be overruled by larger states.
After reading the description of our Congress and watching the video provided, answer the questions on your note sheet.
The Powers of Congress
Enumerated Powers of Congress
Article I of the Constitution deals with the legislative branch. Article I alone makes up more than half of the Constitution. It shows just how important the legislative branch was to our Founding Fathers. Article I, Section 8 includes 17 enumerated powers. Enumerated powers are powers that are specifically listed in the Constitution. Below are some specific powers of Congress. Your job is to look through Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution (below) and identify which clause gives Congress the following powers.
Article I of the Constitution deals with the legislative branch. Article I alone makes up more than half of the Constitution. It shows just how important the legislative branch was to our Founding Fathers. Article I, Section 8 includes 17 enumerated powers. Enumerated powers are powers that are specifically listed in the Constitution. Below are some specific powers of Congress. Your job is to look through Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution (below) and identify which clause gives Congress the following powers.
- __1__ The power to impose and collect taxes
- _____ The power to coin money
- _____ The power to establish post offices
- _____ The power to declare war
- _____ The power to raise and support an army
- _____ To provide and maintain a navy
- _____ To promote the progress of Science
- _____ To regulate commerce (trade) with foreign nations
Article I, Section 8
Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
Clause 2: To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
Clause 3: To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
Clause 4: To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
Clause 5: To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
Clause 6: To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
Clause 7: To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
Clause 8: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
Clause 9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
Clause 10: To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
Clause 11: To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
Clause 12: To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
Clause 13: To provide and maintain a Navy;
Clause 14: To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
Clause 15: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
Clause 16: To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
Clause 17: To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
Clause 2: To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
Clause 3: To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
Clause 4: To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
Clause 5: To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
Clause 6: To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
Clause 7: To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
Clause 8: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
Clause 9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
Clause 10: To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
Clause 11: To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
Clause 12: To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
Clause 13: To provide and maintain a Navy;
Clause 14: To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
Clause 15: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
Clause 16: To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
Clause 17: To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.