The Basics of the Legislative Branch Notes

Name:____________________________

Go to www.mrsarmstrongmck.wix.com/amgovquest
Click on Version A at the top of the webpage. Follow the links to help you answer the questions and
fill in the blanks below. For questions that ask you to interpret information, please use complete
sentences.
1. Congress
A. Congress is part of the ________________ branch of the U.S. government. This branch is
responsible for making ____________.
B. The ____________________ and the ________________ are the two houses that form Congress.
Both are formed by people who were _______________ by people in the United States.
2. The House of Representatives
A. There are currently ____________ members of the House of Representatives. The number of
representatives is determined by ___________________________.
- Proportional Representation is: _________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.
B. Only the House can introduce _____________ bills.
C. The Representative for our district is __________________________.
- Read their profile. Do you think that their views line up with Salems? Why or why not?

3. The Senate
A. There are ___________ members of the Senate. There are ________ senators for every state.
- If every state has the same number of senators, then how is the role of senators different than
the role of representatives? What is their role for the state as a whole? ____________________
___________________________________________________________________________.
B. Oregons senators are ____________________ and _______________________.
4. Congressional Leadership
A. The Speaker of the House acts as _____________________________. They are the
________________ officer (they are responsible for managing sessions) and are _______________ in
line to succeed the President if necessary, after the Vice President.
- Our current Speaker of the House is _____________________.
B. The position of President of the Senate is held by the _____________________________. They
have no vote in the Senate unless ______________________.
- Our current President of the Senate is ____________________________.
5. Powers Given to Congress
A. List 4 powers given to Congress
_____________________
_________________________
_____________________
_________________________
- Which power given to Congress do you think is the most important? Why?

6. Limits of Power
A. List 3 powers not granted to Congress.
____________________
____________________

__________________________

- Why do you think these powers were denied to Congress?

7. Congressional Moments
Choose one of the topics addressing the history of Congress. Watch the video, then answer these questions.
A. Which topic did you choose?

B. Summarize the conflict and Congress response in at least 3 sentences.

C. Given what you now know about Congress, in what ways do you think Congress influences your
life? Do you think (from your observations of the news, conversations weve had in class, etc.) that
Congress is doing its job well? Why or why not?

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