THE US LEGISLATURE Unit 2 – Branches of Government & Federal Power Lesson 1 GC.9, G.11, GC.20, & GC.24.

THE US LEGISLATUREUnit 2 – Branches of Government & Federal Power

Lesson 1

GC.9, G.11, GC.20, & GC.24

ARTICLE 1

What do we remember from Unit 1 about Article 1 from the Constitution?

The Legislative Branch

• Legislative power – the power to make laws

• Unicameral vs. Bicameral• Ne-(freakin’)-braska

• Upper and Lower House

• Senate and the House of Representatives

SENATE & HOUSE

Senate

• 100 members

• 2 per state

• 6 year terms

• Leadership = Vice President Joe Biden

• President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy

• Confirms presidential appointments

• Impeachment = Jury

House

• 435 members

• # per state based on population

• 2 year terms

• Leadership = Speaker of the House

John Boehner

• “power of the purse”

• Impeachment = Police

SENATE & HOUSEIN TENNESSEE

Senate X 2 House X 9

SENATE & HOUSEELECTIONS

Senate

• At-large

• Requirements (Group work: Find 3 in Article 1)

• 30 years old• 9 year citizen of the US• Resident of the state

• Anything else?

House

• Single-member Districts

• Requirements (Group work: Find 3 in Article 1)

• 25 years old• 7 year citizen of the US• Resident of the state

• Anything else?

LEGISLATIVE POWERS

• Do you remember the handout from Unit 1 that had the “enumerated powers” of Congress on it?

How do these powers affect us everyday?

As a group…

1. Discuss the powers that are listed in Article 1. (5 min)

2. For each power, cite a way in which our current congress fulfills the role. Be specific. (15 min)

3. Chart your group’s responses and place on the wall. (5 min)

4. It’s time for a ‘Gallery Walk’! (You know the drill.) (10 min)

HOMEWORK

Schoolhouse Rock:

‘How a Bill Becomes a Law’

1. Watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag&safe=active

2. Write:

List, in order, the steps that are laid out within the video.

3. Synthesize:

Devise, in limited form, a new law that you believe should be passed by

the US Congress.