Unit 4 Mini Unit: Congress
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday11/30
Diagnostic Examà Measure your progress
Current Event Roundtable Discussion: House of Representatives / 12/1
Read Pages 281-285 / 12/2
Read Pages 285-288 / 12/3
Read Pages 289-294 / 12/4
Read Pages 294-297
12/7
Current Event Roundtable Discussion: US Senate / 12/8
Read Pages 297-301
Legislation Quiz!! / 12/9
Read Pages 301-304 / 12/10
Read Pages 304-309 / 12/11
Read Pages 309-318
12/14
Congress OP-ED DUE!
NO CURRENT EVENT DUE
Read Pages 309-318 / 12/15
Read Pages 309-318 / 12/16 / 12/17
Exam Review / 12/18
Congress Test (Approximate 25 multiple choice questions & 2 FRW’s)
Important Legislation: You will need to know why these laws are important and what they cover—Look at calendar for the date of the quiz!
1. Civil Rights Acts of 1964,
2. Voting Rights Act of1965
3. Civil Rights Act of 1968
4. Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
5. Federal Election Campaign Act (1974)
6. War Powers Act (1973)
7. Patriot Act (2001)
8. No Child Left Behind (2001)
9. Welfare Reform Act (1996)
10. Freedom of Information Act (1966)
11. Clean Air Act (1970/1990)
10. McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform (2002)
Vocabulary:
Bicameral legislature
Filibuster
Marginal districts
‘Cracking’
‘Packing’
Census
Reapportionment
Gerrymandering
Redistricting
Majority leader
Minority leader
Whip
Party polarization
Caucus (congressional)
Standing committees
Select committees
Joint committees
Conference committee
Subcommittee
Public bill
Private bill
‘Mark Up’ a bill
Simple resolution
Concurrent resolution
Joint resolution
Germaneness
Discharge petition
Rider
‘Christmas tree’ bill
Quorum Cloture rule
Trustee vs. Delegate
Earmark
Pork-barrel legislation
Franking privilege
Seniority system
Oversight
Review Questions:
1. Explain the role that the Framers expected the United States Congress to play.
2. Pinpoint the significant eras in the evolution of Congress.
3. Describe the process for electing members of Congress.
4. Identify the functions that party affiliation plays in the organization of Congress.
5. Describe the formal process by which a bill becomes a law.
6. Describe the process of reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering. How does politics play a role in this entire process?
7. Explain how the Supreme Court has attempted to contain gerrymandering.
8. How do lobbyists and money play a role in congressional politics?
9. Describe the similarities and differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate. Why are the two chambers different?
10. How does the executive branch and legislative branch check and balance each other? Describe how the War Powers Act of 1973 altered the relationship between the two branches.
11. Explain how the impeachment process works.
12. Describe the pros and cons of members of Congress using earmarks and promoting pork barrel spending.