Unit III Lesson 1 Intro to Congress
Jun 29, 2015
Unit III Lesson 1Intro to Congress
Essential Question:• What are the institutions and
policy-making processes of the national government?
• What are the links between the branches of the national government, political parties, interest groups, public opinion, the media, and state and local governments?
Unit I
Unit II
*Preamble
Article I - The Legislative Branch
Article II -- The Executive Branch
Article III -- The Judicial Branch
Article IV -- Concerning the States
Article V - Amendment Process
Article VI- Legal Status of the Constitution
Article VII – Signatures
*Amendments
Unit III
“Congress”- The legislative (lawmaking) branch of government (The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate)
Congress“Bi-Cameral”
Congress has the power to:
*Make national laws (really “bills”)
“Bills”
Laws
“Law”
*Govern Washington D.C. and other U.S. Territories
6 Million
U.S. Territories
Capital
Capital
*Raise/lower national taxes The Typical American
*Declare war
The Typical
American
“Commander-in-Chief”
Lastly…
*Congress can also do a whole bunch of other stuff!!!
• Establish naturalization rules (requirements a person must meet in order to become a U.S. Citizen)
• Establish post offices• Establish federal courts• Print and regulate the value of money• Issue patents and copyrights
And a whole lot of other things!
Article I Section 8
“The Congress shall have Power
to provide and maintain a Navy”
Article I Section 8
“Enumerated Powers”-
Powers given to Congress that are actually listed in the U.S. Constitution
(Sometimes called “Expressed Powers”)
“Enumerated Powers”
or “Expressed Powers”“Enumerated Powers”
or “Expressed Powers”“Enumerated Powers”
Congress also performs several non-lawmaking duties such as: *Oversight of federal agencies and the executive branch
(“Legislative Oversight”)
“Cabinet”
“Legislative Oversight”
Federal Judges
*Hold hearings to educate the public on important issues (Gun control, health care reform, etc.)
Amendment
*Propose Constitutional Amendments
2/3rds
2/3rds
3/4ths
Lastly and Most
Importantly…
*Work for their “constituents” (the people a member of Congress has been elected to represent); called “Casework”
Congressman Doug Collins
Senators Johnny Isakson
And Saxby Chambliss
“Constituents”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdgU08k-CTQ&feature=related
Which of the following types of powers are specifically granted to the national
government by the U.S. Constitution?
A.Expressed
B.Implied
C.Concurrent
D.Reserved
All of the following are powers granted to Congress in the U.S. Constitution EXCEPT?
A.To Lay and Collect Taxes
B.To Recognize Foreign Governments
C.To Declare War
D.To Raise and Support an Army
Which of the following is the primary responsibility of Congress?
A.Enforcing the administrative decisions of the bureaucracy
B.Selecting the head of the executive branch of government
C.Impeaching the President and corrupt federal judges
D.Lawmaking and policymaking
Which of the following actions would Congress most likely take in performing
“legislative oversight”?
A.Choose members of the President’s cabinetB.Withhold appropriations of money to federal agencies C.Influence the president to take action against another nationD.Appoint federal judges
Homework!!!Textbook Pages: 281-289
Graphic Novel Pages: 42-47