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3 Branches Packet Part 1:
Legislative Branch
1
Legislative Branch Vocabulary
Use your text-book define the following words.

Apportionment (or apportioned) (267):

Reapportion (267):

Off-year election (269):

Single-member district (270):

Gerrymandered (271):

Continuous body (277):

Constituencies (277):

Filibuster (343):

Cloture (343-344):

Standing committee (329):

Whips (325):

Speaker of the House (322):
2
The Legislative Branch
Congressional Leadership, 113thCongress
Senate Leadership-Upper House
VP-Joe Biden (president of the senate)
Majority Leader: Harry Reid (D-NV)
Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
President Pro Tempore: Patrick Leahy (D)
Senate
House of Reps-Lower House
Speaker of the House: John A. Boehner (R-OH)
Majority Leader: Eric Cantor (R-VA)
Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
House of Representatives
Job of the legislative branch:
# of members:
# of Senators:
Requirements:
Requirements:
What does it mean that we
have a bicameral
legislature?
How they are chosen:
How they are chosen:
Leader:
Leader:
Length of terms:
# per state:
Why does it matter if a
party has the majority in
the House or Senate or
both? What if there is a
different party in the
presidency?
Length of terms:
# per state:
Constituency:
Constituency:
Special duties/ unique characteristics:
Special duties/ unique characteristics:
3
Quick Write: Why is the Senate considered to be the “Upper House”? Why is the
House of Representatives thought to be “closer to the people”?
Leadership in Congress:
Congressional Leadership, 113th Congress
Use sections 12.1 and 12.2 (plus reasoning skills).
The following list includes important positions of leadership in Congress. Match the positions with the
descriptions of the tasks the job involves by writing the letter of the term beside the appropriate description.
A. Vice President
J. President Pro Tempore
B. Senate Majority Leader
K. Speaker of the House
C. House Minority Leader
L. Chairperson of the House Ways and Means Committee
D. Assistant Majority Leader
M. Chairperson of House Appropriations Committee
E. Senate Minority Whip
N. Chairperson of Commerce Committee
F. House Majority Whip
O. Chairperson of Senate Foreign Relations Committee
G. Senate Minority Leader
P. Chairperson of House Foreign Affairs Committee
H. House Majority Leader
Q. Chairperson of House Judiciary Committee
I. House Minority Whip
R. Chairperson of Senate Armed Services Committee
_____ 1. I have the most powerful position in the lower house. I assign bills to committees and appoint,
select, and conference committee members.
_____ 2. I serve as president of the Senate. Although I cannot participate in the debates, I can vote in case of
a tie.
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_____ 3. I preside over the Senate in the absence of the vice-president. The caucus of the majority party
chose me for this post.
_____ 4. The seniority system allowed me to become chairperson of this House committee which has power
over all federal spending.
_____ 5. I am chairperson of this House committee which has power over taxation.
_____ 6. My seniority in the upper house has given me the chairmanship of this committee which specializes
in transportation, communication, and interstate commerce.
_____ 7. As majority party leader in the lower house, I exert pressure on party members to vote with the
party. I am responsible for getting my party’s program enacted into law.
_____ 8. I have the role of leadership in the upper house responsible for passage of the majority party’s
programs. I inform and pressure party members to vote for programs. I also determine the order in which
bills are to be debated.
_____9. I am the leader of the minority party in the lower house responsible for informing party members
and organizing resistance to programs submitted by the majority.
_____ 10. I am the leader of the smaller party in the upper house responsible for resisting programs
submitted by the majority.
_____ 11. I aid the majority leader in keeping party members informed and supportive of programs in the
upper house.
_____ 12. I am the minority party leader in the upper house who informs members when important bills are
scheduled for a vote. My usual goal is to oppose majority bills.
_____ 13. I have control of the dominant party in the lower house, and I am responsible for enactment of our
party’s program.
_____ 14. I am the party leader in the lower house who informs members and assists the minority leader in
resisting some of the majority party’s programs.
_____ 15. The seniority system allowed me to become chairperson of the powerful committee in the upper
house which handles matters relating to other nations.
_____ 16. I am chairperson of the less powerful committee in the lower house which handles matters with
other countries.
_____ 17. I am chairperson of this powerful committee in the lower house which deals with impeachment
charges.
_____ 18. I am chairperson of the upper house committee which supervises expenditures of the department
of government with the largest budget.
5
Legislative Branch Cont.
Election Timeline:
Reapportionment: Changing the seats in Congress
 States _________________ to get a new Representative for every 10,000 people they added to their state
 We ran out of room
 We now stick with _____________________________________
 Each state gets the percent of seats that equals the percent of the population they have
 We use the census ______________________________________ to decide how many people (and seats)
each state has
Look at the map. Who is gaining? Who is losing?
Redistricting: Redrawing Congressional districts after the census
Once states find out what portion of the House they get, they have to
______________________________________________

These districts are supposed to have roughly _____________________ numbers of people

These districts (says the Supreme Court) should ____________________________________ or other
voting blocks

These districts should be connected (no islands that count as a part of another district)
Gerrymandering
There are a total of _______________ reps in the US House of
Representatives. Each state is guaranteed at least one
representative.
Define gerrymandering:
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Why does a majority party in the state legislatures do this?
Draw a picture of what gerrymandering looks like:
Why is gerrymandering a problem? Is it legal?
After the 2010 Census, Michigan’s population dropped and after reapportionment we lost one representative.
The maps below show Michigan’s Congressional Districts after the 2000 and 2010 Censuses. Can you see any
gerrymandering?
Michigan’s 14 Congressional
Districts
2011 Apportionment Plan
7
Reapportionment Data, 1910 to 2010
Use the data below to complete the questions on the back. Use evidence from the chart.
2010 apportionment population
Number of representatives
State
Total
Alabama . . . . . . .
Alaska . . . . . . . . .
Arizona . . . . . . . .
Arkansas . . . . . . .
California . . . . . . .
Colorado . . . . . . .
Connecticut . . . . .
Delaware . . . . . . .
Florida . . . . . . . . .
Georgia . . . . . . . .
Hawaii . . . . . . . . .
Idaho . . . . . . . . . .
Illinois . . . . . . . . . .
Indiana . . . . . . . . .
Iowa . . . . . . . . . . .
Kansas . . . . . . . . .
Kentucky . . . . . . .
Louisiana . . . . . . .
Maine . . . . . . . . .
Maryland . . . . . . .
Massachusetts . .
Michigan . . . . . . .
Minnesota . . . . . .
Mississippi . . . . . .
Missouri . . . . . . . .
Montana . . . . . . .
Nebraska . . . . . . .
Nevada . . . . . . . .
New Hampshire . .
New Jersey . . . . .
New Mexico . . . . .
New York . . . . . . .
North Carolina . . .
North Dakota . . . .
Ohio . . . . . . . . . . .
Oklahoma . . . . . .
Oregon . . . . . . . .
Pennsylvania . . . .
Rhode Island . . . .
South Carolina . .
South Dakota . . .
Tennessee . . . . .
Texas . . . . . . . . .
Utah . . . . . . . . . .
Vermont . . . . . . .
Virginia . . . . . . . .
Washington . . . . .
West Virginia . . . .
Wisconsin . . . . . .
Wyoming . . . . . . .
Total
309,183,463
4,802,982
721,523
6,412,700
2,926,229
37,341,989
5,044,930
3,581,628
900,877
18,900,773
9,727,566
1,366,862
1,573,499
12,864,380
6,501,582
3,053,787
2,863,813
4,350,606
4,553,962
1,333,074
5,789,929
6,559,644
9,911,626
5,314,879
2,978,240
6,011,478
994,416
1,831,825
2,709,432
1,321,445
8,807,501
2,067,273
19,421,055
9,565,781
675,905
11,568,495
3,764,882
3,848,606
12,734,905
1,055,247
4,645,975
819,761
6,375,431
25,268,418
2,770,765
630,337
8,037,736
6,753,369
1,859,815
5,698,230
568,300
Resident
population
308,143,815
4,779,736
710,231
6,392,017
2,915,918
37,253,956
5,029,196
3,574,097
897,934
18,801,310
9,687,653
1,360,301
1,567,582
12,830,632
6,483,802
3,046,355
2,853,118
4,339,367
4,533,372
1,328,361
5,773,552
6,547,629
9,883,640
5,303,925
2,967,297
5,988,927
989,415
1,826,341
2,700,551
1,316,470
8,791,894
2,059,179
19,378,102
9,535,483
672,591
11,536,504
3,751,351
3,831,074
12,702,379
1,052,567
4,625,364
814,180
6,346,105
25,145,561
2,763,885
625,741
8,001,024
6,724,540
1,852,994
5,686,986
563,626
U.S. population
overseas
1,039,648
23,246
11,292
20,683
10,311
88,033
15,734
7,531
2,943
99,463
39,913
6,561
5,917
33,748
17,780
7,432
10,695
11,239
20,590
4,713
16,377
12,015
27,986
10,954
10,943
22,551
5,001
5,484
8,881
4,975
15,607
8,094
42,953
30,298
3,314
31,991
13,531
17,532
32,526
2,680
20,611
5,581
29,326
122,857
6,880
4,596
36,712
28,829
6,821
11,244
4,674
2010
435
7
1
9
4
53
7
5
1
27
14
2
2
18
9
4
4
6
6
2
8
9
14
8
4
8
1
3
4
2
12
3
27
13
1
16
5
5
18
2
7
1
9
36
4
1
11
10
3
8
1
2000
435
7
1
8
4
53
7
5
1
25
13
2
2
19
9
5
4
6
7
2
8
10
15
8
4
9
1
3
3
2
13
3
29
13
1
18
5
5
19
2
6
1
9
32
3
1
11
9
3
8
1
1990
435
7
1
6
4
52
6
6
1
23
11
2
2
20
10
5
4
6
7
2
8
10
16
8
5
9
1
3
2
2
13
3
31
12
1
19
6
5
21
2
6
1
9
30
3
1
11
9
3
9
1
1980
435
7
1
5
4
45
6
6
1
19
10
2
2
22
10
6
5
7
8
2
8
11
18
8
5
9
2
3
2
2
14
3
34
11
1
21
6
5
23
2
6
1
9
27
3
1
10
8
4
9
1
1970
435
7
1
4
4
43
5
6
1
15
10
2
2
24
11
6
5
7
8
2
8
12
19
8
5
10
2
3
1
2
15
2
39
11
1
23
6
4
25
2
6
2
8
24
2
1
10
7
4
9
1
1960
435
8
1
3
4
38
4
6
1
12
10
2
2
24
11
7
5
7
8
2
8
12
19
8
5
10
2
3
1
2
15
2
41
11
2
24
6
4
27
2
6
2
9
23
2
1
10
7
5
10
1
1950
3437
9
1
2
6
30
4
6
1
8
10
1
2
25
11
8
6
8
8
3
7
14
18
9
6
11
2
4
1
2
14
2
43
12
2
23
6
4
30
2
6
2
9
22
2
1
10
7
6
10
1
1940
435
9
(X)
2
7
23
4
6
1
6
10
(X)
2
26
11
8
6
9
8
3
6
14
17
9
7
13
2
4
1
2
14
2
45
12
2
23
8
4
33
2
6
2
10
21
2
1
9
6
6
10
1
1930
435
9
(X)
1
7
20
4
6
1
5
10
(X)
2
27
12
9
7
9
8
3
6
15
17
9
7
13
2
5
1
2
14
1
45
11
2
24
9
3
34
2
6
2
9
21
2
1
9
6
6
10
1
1920
435
10
(X)
1
7
11
4
5
1
4
12
(X)
2
27
13
11
8
11
8
4
6
16
13
10
8
16
2
6
1
2
12
1
43
10
3
22
8
3
36
3
7
3
10
18
2
2
10
5
6
11
1
1910
4435
10
(X)
1
7
11
4
5
1
4
12
(X)
2
27
13
11
8
11
8
4
6
16
13
10
8
16
2
6
1
2
12
1
43
10
3
22
8
3
36
3
7
3
10
18
2
2
10
5
6
11
1
The 1950 apportionment originally resulted in the previously fixed House size of 435 representatives; but in
1959, Alaska and Hawaii were both newly admitted to the United States, and each was granted one
representative—temporarily increasing the size of the House to 437. Then the 1960 apportionment reverted
back to the fixed size of 435.
1. How many Representatives currently serve in the House of Representatives?
2. How does a state’s population impact the number of seats a state receives?
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3. Choose 3 states, and explain what the chart is telling you about its populations and Congressional
representation.
a.
b.
c.
4. Which states have the most Representatives today? The least?
5. Make a prediction-which states will gain Congressional seats (after the results of the 2020 census are
published)? Which will lose?
6. On average, the typical Representative serves 710,000 constituents (citizens in his/her district). Based
on the chart, do small states or large states seem to have better Representative-Constituent ratios? In
other words, Representatives in which states have fewer people to serve (and thus, providing better
services)?
9
The Redistricting Game
Go to http://www.redistrictinggame.org/index.php
1. Click on “About the game” at the top, and summarize
what this game is about. What is it trying to teach?
2. Now click on “Game: Play Game”. Under “Mission 1: Fundamentals”, click on the red “Basic” button.
Let’s make this easy to start out. Follow the directions.
a. What is the overall goal of “Mission 1: Population Equality”? Why is this important?
b. How did redistricting go? What were the biggest challenges? How did the opposition feel
about it (after you “got feedback” on the left of the screen)?
c. Summarize the newspaper article written about your plan. Did anything surprise you?
3. Now go to “Mission 1: Partisan Gerrymandering”. Follow the directions.
a. What is the overall goal of “Mission 2: Partisan Gerrymandering”? Why does understanding
this aspect of redistricting impact elections?
b. How did gerrymandering go? What was tough about it? How did the opposition feel about it
(after you “got feedback” on the left of the screen)?
c. Summarize the newspaper article written about your plan. Did anything surprise you?
4. Now that you’ve played two rounds, have you picked up on the bias of this game? What is the
message it’s trying to send to American citizens? What are your thoughts on this and gerrymandering
in general?
10
Legislative Branch Cont.
List as many of the enumerated powers of Congress as you can below: (Use Article I of the Constitution for help)
Fill out the diagram below to show how a bill is started, the process it goes through in the House and Senate, and where it ends up.
House:
Senate:
Committee Action:
Committee Action:
Floor Action:
Floor Action:
Conference Committee:
Congressional Approval:
Presidential Action:
11
Steps to a bill becoming a law if the bill starts in the House
Please put the following steps in order
____ President signs or vetoes the bill. If it is vetoed it is sent back to Congress, where it can
be overridden by a 2/3 vote in each house.
____ Bill is introduced in the House
____ Bill is debated in the time allotted for it, then passed on to the Senate
____ Bill is sent to the Rules committee, where it is amended and conditions are set for
debate
____ Bill is sent to standing committee in S form where it is studied and the committee does
research. Could be approved or rejected here
____ Bill is written, by a legislator, the President or any American citizen.
____ Bill is sent to standing committee in HR form where it is studied and the committee does
research. Could be approved or rejected here
____ Bill is debated, with the possibility of a filibuster. It is then passed or defeated.
____ Bill is introduced in the Senate
____ The bill goes to conference committee, where differences between the House and
Senate version are resolved
____ The bill is voted on one last time. If it is approved, it goes to the President.
Finally, what are some things that might speed up or slow down the bill passing process?
12
Practice Legislative Branch Questions
1. How and when bills reach the floor of the House is decided by the
a. Ways and Means Committee
b. Appropriations Committee
c. House Rules Committee
d. Judiciary Committee
2. How many total people serve in the House of Representatives?
a. 100
b. 200
c. 435
d. 535
3. What happens to the House every ten years?
a. The census is taken, and the seats are redistributed based on population
b. It is gerrymandered
c. It is rebuilt
d. The people in it are reelected
4. In the United States Congress, differences between Senate and House of Representatives versions of a
bill are usually resolved by accepting the version that is
a. Preferred by a majority of the State legislatures
b. Supported by the Supreme Court
c. Preferred by the House of Representatives
d. Agreed to by a joint conference committee of both Houses
13
Review section- Fill this out. It will help you on your quiz and test.
Legislative Branch (also called Congress)
1. Article ______ of the Constitution outlines the legislative branch. The job of the legislative branch is –
2. The upper-house of Congress is the ________________. The lower-house is the
_____________________________.
3. House of Representatives:
a. # of members – ____________.
b. # of Representatives per state – _______________________________.
c. House of Representatives serve unlimited ______ year terms.
d. How they are chosen (by people or by state legislatures?) – ____________________________________.
e. Requirements to be in the House of Representatives (list 3):
f. How many constituents (people) do they represent? About ______________________ people
g. The ________________________________________ is the leader of the House of Representatives.
4. Senate:
a. # of members – ______________.
b. # of Senators per state _______________________________.
c. Senators serve unlimited ______ year terms.
d. How they are chosen (by people or by state legislatures?) - _______________________________. The
Senate is known as a continuous body because ______ of the seats are given up every ______ years.
e. Requirements to be in the Senate (list 3)–
f. The Vice President is the leader of the Senate. When the Vice President is absent the _______________________
preside over the Senate.
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5. Comparing the House to the Senate list the special duties that only each house of Congress can do:
Special Duties of the House of Representatives
Special Duties of the Senate
6. What is gerrymandering? Who does it? Why?
a. Census (how it impacts the redistribution of seats in the House of Reps)?
b. Which states have the most representatives today? (list 4)
Which states have the least today? (list 4)
7. Know the process of how a bill becomes a law. (Steps through the House of Representatives, Senate,
Conference Committee and President) - Mention: debate times (limited or unlimited), filibustered, role of House
Rules Committee
15
8. What does it mean to have a “majority” in a house of Congress? Why does it matter?
9. List as many powers of Congress below.
16