Divisions at the Constitutional Convention
The Virginia Plan
•Proposed a ______, national legislature
•Each state would ______to the number of its citizens.
•The new ______to tax; the right to regulate foreign and interstate commerce; to veto, or prohibit from becoming law, any act of a state legislature; and to use force against a state, should that state defy national authority.
The New Jersey Plan
•Proposed a ______, national legislature, and the creation of executive and judicial branches
•Each state would ______to the legislature.
•The new legislature ______
Great Compromise
•In the Great Compromise, delegates agreed to create a legislative branch made up of two houses.
•One house, ______from each state.
•In the other house, the ______.
Reaching Agreements
- Another difficult issue was whether or not to include enslaved persons when determining a state’s population and therefore its representation. According to the Three-Fifths Compromise, ______
•After further debate, the convention approved the final draft of ______on September 17, 1787. The strengths of the Constitution have helped it endure for more than 200 years.
- Legislative Branch Review Function: Make the Laws
- Congressional Joint Powers
- ______
- ______
- ______
- ______
Senate
1. Qualifications
a. ______Years Old
b. American citizen for ______years
c. Resident of state elected
2. Method of Selection – Election by ______
3. Term of office – ______years
4. Members per state – ______
5. Powers reserved for Senate only
a. ______
b. ______
c. ______
House of Representatives
- Qualifications
- _____ years old
- U.S. Citizen for ______years
- Resident of state elected
- Method of Selection – Election by ______
- Term of Office – ______years
- Members per State – Based on ______– 435 total
- Powers reserved for the House only
- Originates money bills (taxes)
- Begins impeachment process
- Elects President if Electoral College fails to do so
The U.S. Congress in Brief
- ______
•Senate
•______
•______
•______
•House
•______
•______
•______(once every 10 years)
Officers of the Legislative Branch
______
•Currently: John Boenher, Republican from Ohio
•Presiding officer of the House
•Job: ______
•Officers of the Legislative Branch
______
•V.P. – Joe Biden
•Less power
•Presiding officer but may not speak or debate
•______
•Resides in V.P.’s absence
•Elected by the Senate
•Majority Party
•4th in line for president
•Currently: Patrick Leahy
Committees in Congress
- Standing committee:______could be sent. (Ex. Budget committee)
•Select committee- a special group set up for a specific purpose ______(ex. Senate Watergate Committee)
•Joint Committees-______
Committees in Congress
- Informal groupings- Black caucus, democratic study group, House Republican study group, pro-Life caucus, etc.
•Conference Committee- temporary joint body to work out different versions of a measure or bill
How does a Bill become a law?
- ______- proposed laws, or drafts of laws presented to the House or Senate for enactment.
•Two types:
•Public- ______- (tax bills)
•Private-only apply ______rather than to the nation generally.
•Only members may ______to the house.
•The bill is referred to a standing committee, where ______
•______
•______
•______and amendments may be introduced.
•______
•If versions are the same it ______
•If versions are different it goes to a ______
•Filibuster: an attempt to “______” in the senate.
*Record: Senator Strom Thurmond: held the floor for 24 hours in an attempt to kill the Civil Rights Act of 1957.