Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution established a bicameral legislature, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The Constitution grants Congress the authority to enact legislation, declare war, confirm or reject Presidential appointments, and investigate. The House of Representatives is made up of elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their population, while the Senate is composed of two Senators from each state, who are also elected. The legislative branch is separate from the executive branch, which is headed by the President, who serves as the commander-in-chief of the military and proposes legislation. The Constitution also left it to Congress to establish the federal judiciary, which has grown more influential over time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of houses | Bicameral legislature consisting of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Number of members | 435 elected members in the House of Representatives; 100 Senators (2 from each state) |
| Term length | Six years for Senators; two years for members of the House of Representatives |
| Election process | Senators originally chosen by state legislatures; since 1913, elected by the people of each state; members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years |
| Voting process | Senators can filibuster bills, delaying a vote; a supermajority of 60 Senators can break a filibuster; a simple majority passes a bill |
| Impeachment | Senators are responsible for trying impeached officials, including the President of the United States |
| Legislative authority | Congress has the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, confirm or reject Presidential appointments, and investigate |
| Judicial authority | Congress sets the number of justices on the Supreme Court and creates lower federal courts |
| Separation of powers | The President serves as the head of state and government, proposes legislation, and approves or vetoes bills, but depends on the legislature for funding |
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What You'll Learn
The US Congress
The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also 6 non-voting members, representing Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. Members of the House are elected every two years and must be at least 25 years old. The presiding officer of the House is the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the Representatives and is third in line to the presidency.
The Senate, on the other hand, is composed of 100 Senators, 2 from each state, serving six-year terms. Senators must be at least 30 years old, US citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent. The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and can cast a tie-breaking vote. The Senate has the power to confirm presidential appointments and ratify treaties, although the House must also approve appointments to the Vice Presidency and any treaties involving foreign trade.
The structure of Congress as a bicameral legislature, consisting of two chambers, was first proposed in the Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and Edmund Randolph. This plan suggested a legislature with two houses, with the "rights of suffrage" in both houses proportional to the size of each state. This proposal was modified to become what is known as the "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise," which established equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.
The US Constitution grants Congress significant powers and responsibilities, including the authority to enact legislation, declare war, confirm or reject presidential appointments, and conduct investigations. Additionally, the Constitution left it to Congress to determine the number of justices on the Supreme Court and to establish the lower federal courts, which they did through the Judiciary Act of 1789.
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Bicameral legislature
The United States Constitution established a bicameral legislature, which consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together, these two chambers form the United States Congress, which is the legislative branch of the federal government.
The idea of a bicameral legislature was influenced by the British Parliament, which had a House of Lords and a House of Commons. Similarly, the US Senate is composed of 100 senators, with two senators representing each state. The Senate has the power to confirm presidential appointments, ratify treaties, and elect a president pro tempore in the absence of the vice president, who serves as the president of the Senate. Senators are elected to six-year terms, with staggered elections ensuring that approximately one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years.
On the other hand, the House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also six non-voting members representing territories of the United States. Members of the House are elected every two years and must be at least 25 years old.
The bicameral legislature was proposed by James Madison in the Virginia Plan, which was introduced at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Virginia Plan suggested a bicameral national legislature with "rights of suffrage" in both houses proportional to the size of each state. This proposal was amended and became known as the "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise," resolving the issue of congressional representation.
The bicameral structure aimed to balance the interests of larger and smaller states, providing equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives. This system also addressed concerns about concentrating legislative power in a single body, which could threaten individual liberties.
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Separation of powers
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in the world. Its first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial.
The legislative branch, established by Article I of the Constitution, consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The House of Representatives is made up of elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. The number of representatives from each state is based on the state's population, with each state having at least one representative. Members of the House of Representatives must be at least 25 years old and citizens of the United States for at least seven years. The Senate, on the other hand, is composed of two senators from each state, who are elected to six-year terms. Senators must be at least 30 years old and citizens of the United States for at least nine years.
The legislative branch is responsible for enacting legislation and declaring war. It also has the power to confirm or reject presidential appointments and conduct investigations. The Congress, as a whole, has the authority to amend the Constitution, with a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate being required to propose an amendment.
The executive branch, established by Article II, is headed by the President and includes subordinate officers. The President is responsible for executing the laws enacted by the legislative branch and has the power to appoint officers and make treaties, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
The judicial branch, established by Article III, consists of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The Supreme Court has the power to interpret the Constitution and determine the constitutionality of laws and actions of the legislative and executive branches. Federal courts may also rule on whether the coordinate branches of the national government conform to the Constitution.
The separation of powers between these three branches of government provides a system of checks and balances, ensuring that no one branch has too much power and protecting against the abuse of power.
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Impeachment provision
The Constitution of the United States established a bicameral national legislature, consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Constitution's impeachment provision, modelled on the practices of the British Parliament and state legislatures, gives senators the responsibility for trying impeached officials, including the President.
The Constitution grants Congress the authority to impeach and remove the President, and federal officials, for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors". The definition of "high crimes and misdemeanors" is not specified in the Constitution and has been fleshed out over time through the practice of impeachments. The House of Representatives charges an official by approving articles of impeachment, after which the Senate sits as a High Court of Impeachment to consider evidence, hear witnesses, and vote to acquit or convict. A two-thirds vote of the Senate is required to convict, and the penalty for an impeached official is removal from office, and sometimes disqualification from holding public office in the future.
The impeachment process is largely unchecked by the judiciary, and is instead a political process, with judgments and procedures left to the discretion of the authorities vested with the powers to impeach and try impeachments. The impeachment power is a fundamental component of the system of "checks and balances".
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Congressional representation
The United States Constitution established a bicameral legislature, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. This system of congressional representation, known as the "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise", resolved the dispute between delegates from large and small states during the drafting of the Constitution.
The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also six non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. Members of the House are elected every two years and must be at least 25 years old. The presiding officer of the House is the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the Representatives and is third in the line of succession to the Presidency.
The Senate, on the other hand, is composed of 100 Senators, with each state having two Senators. Prior to the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913, Senators were chosen by state legislatures. Since then, they have been elected by the people of each state to serve six-year terms. To ensure continuity, Senator terms are staggered, with about one-third of the Senate up for reelection every two years. Senators must be at least 30 years old, US citizens for a minimum of nine years, and residents of the state they represent. The Vice President of the United States serves as the President of the Senate and can cast a tie-breaking vote.
The Constitution grants Congress the authority to enact legislation and declare war, confirm or reject Presidential appointments, and conduct investigations. While Congress has the power to propose bills, they require the President's approval to become law. The President, as the head of state and government, also proposes legislation and can veto Congressional bills. This separation of powers between the President and Congress is a defining feature of the US system of government established by the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution establishes a bicameral legislature, or a legislature consisting of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress.
The Constitution grants Congress the authority to enact legislation and declare war, confirm or reject Presidential appointments, and investigate. The Constitution also leaves it to Congress to set the number of justices on the Supreme Court and to create lower federal courts.
The members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years and must be at least 25 years old. The members of the Senate are elected to six-year terms by the people of each state and must be at least 30 years old.
