LEGISLATIVE SCAVENGER HUNT

The purpose of this assignment is to provide students with the grading rubric by which their Legislative Scavenger Hunt activity will be graded. Students will use Articles I and II of the Constitution to answer various questions about Congress. (SS7C 3.3, 3.8)

Rubric: The assignment is worth 50 points and is calculated as follows:

For each of the following questions answered correctly, students will receive 1 point (total- 32 points); students will earn 9 points for working collaboratively as a team; students will earn 9 points for writing out their answers in complete sentences.

ASSIGNMENT: Working in small groups, students will work together to answer the following questions. Each group team leader will appoint someone to write down the answers to the Scavenger Hunt, and will assign questions the other team mem-bers. As e ach team member finds the answer to a Scavenger Hunt question, the recorder will write the answer.The answers can be found in Article I, unless noted otherwise.

QUESTIONS:

1.What percentage of senators are required to approve a treaty? To be approved, atrea-ty must be approved by 2/3 of the Senators voting on the treaty.

  1. Under which circumstances does the vice-president cast a vote in the Senate? The vice-president votes when the vote in the Senate is tied.
  2. How often are Representatives elected? Representatives are elected every 2 years.
  3. There shall be 1 representative per how many people?
  4. Who chooses the Speaker of the House? HOR members elect the Speaker of the House.
  5. What are the requirements to become a representative? A representative must be 25 ears old, be a citizen for 7 years, and live in the state where he/she is elected.
  6. Who is the president of the Senate? The vice-president is the president of the Senate.
  7. Which House has the exclusive right to try impeachment cases? The Senate has the exclusive power to try impeachment cases.
  8. How does a bill become a law? A bill becomes a law after it is passed by Congress, is sent to the president, and, either the president signs the bill or, if he does not sign it, Congress overrides the president’s veto.
  9. How does Congress override a presidential veto? Congress overrides a presidential veto by both houses re-passing it with 2/3 majorities.
  10. List 6 powers which are denied Congress. Powers denied Congress include the powers to: issue titles of nobility; issue direct taxes unless proportional; issue excise taxes on goods produced from any state; prohibit writs of habeus corpus; issue Bills of Attainder; and, pass ex post facto laws.
  11. How were slaves originally counted as part of the American population? Slaves were originally counted as 3/5 of a person.
  12. What is an impeachment? An impeachment is an accusation, by the HOR, of official misconduct by a government official.
  13. What does adjourn mean? Adjourn means to temporarily suspend or stop.
  14. What is a Letter of Marque? A Letter of Marque is written permission for merchant ships to arm themselves and attack enemy ships.
  15. What is a Bill of Attainder? A Bill of Attainder is a law by which Congress, rather than the Courts, finds a person guilty of a crime.
  16. Which House has the duty to approve presidential appointments? (Article II) The Senate has the exclusive authority to approve presidential appointments.
  17. What are the 2 houses of Congress? The two houses of Congress are the House of Representatives and the Senate.
  18. How often are senators elected? Senators are elected every 6 years.
  19. How is a vacancy in the House of Representatives filled? Vacancies in the HOR are filled through the appropriate state executive issuing a writ of election.
  20. How many senators do each state get? Each state is entitled to 2 senators.
  21. What are the qualifications to become a senator? To serve as a senator, one must be 30 years old, be a citizen for 9 years, and live in the state where elected.
  22. Which house has the exclusive right to impeach? The HOR has the exclusive right to impeach.
  23. What punishments can be handed down in an impeachment? Among the punishments that can be handed down to an impeached official are: removal from office and can be subject to indictment, trial, and punishment by law.
  24. What 2 options can happen to a bill once it is passed by Congress and sent to the president? After a bill passes Congress and is sent to the president, the bill may either be signed by the president and become law or vetoed by the president and sent back to Congress.
  25. List 12 powers granted to Congress. Among the powers granted to Congress are the powers to: tax, borrow money, regulate commerce, coin money, issue patents and copyrights, create federal courts lower than the Supreme Court, establish rules for immigration and naturalization, punish counterfeiting, exercise exclusive control over the District of Columbia, regulate the military, declare war, and to make all laws which are necessary and proper to carry out Congress’ duties under Article 1.
  26. For what purposes can Congress impose taxes?
  27. What does the term “all other persons” mean? The phrase “all other persons” means slaves.
  28. What is a quorum? A quorum is the minimum number of people required to conduct a business meeting.
  29. What is a bill? A bill is a proposed law.
  30. What is a Writ of Habeus Corpus? A writ of habeus corpus is a court order to bring someone who is in jail before the court.
  31. What is an ex post facto law?An ex post facto law is a law which, after the act, outlaws a certain action.