U.S. Legislative Branch Overview

Study Notes

The legislative branch of the U.S. government, as presented in the video, consists of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial
The legislative branch is described in Article 1 of the Constitution, and its primary role is to make laws
Congress, which leads the legislative branch, is bicameral, meaning it has two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives
The Senate and House were created to reconcile disputes between states regarding representation
The Great Compromise of 1787 resulted in a bicameral congress, with the Senate based on equal representation (two senators per state) and the House based on proportional representation
The Senate has 100 members, and senators serve six-year terms, while the House has 435 representatives, and representatives serve two-year terms
The Constitution outlines specific qualifications for senators and representatives, including residency, age, and citizenship requirements
The Senate and House share some powers, including making laws, but each has unique responsibilities: the Senate can approve or reject treaties and presidential nominations, while the House can introduce spending bills and select the president if necessary.
The powers of congress, as outlined in the Constitution, include declaring war, making money, collecting taxes, and the elastic clause, which allows congress to make necessary laws to address new issues.

Description

This quiz provides an overview of the legislative branch of the U.S. government, as outlined in the Constitution and explained in the video. It covers the structure of Congress, the roles of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Great Compromise, specific qualifications for senators and representatives, as well as the powers of Congress.