Powers of Congress and the US Constitution

Virginia Plan

Proposal to create a strong national government, based on population, bicameral.

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state’s population, unicameral.

Made trade difficult

The nation did not have the same money from state to state (currency).

President of the Senate

Vice President

Power to impeach the president

House of Representatives

Power to remove the President after impeachment (trial)

Senate

Bicameral

Two houses of Congress

Elastic Clause (Necessary and Proper Clause)

a statement in the US Constitution (Article 1, Section 8) granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers.

Enumerated Powers of Congress

Powers granted by the Constitution (creating post office, punishing counterfeits, creating navy, ect).

Pennsylvania (PA)

Constitution convention was held here

Delaware (DE)

First state to accept the Constitution

Rhode Island (RI)

Last state to accept the Constitution (only state that wasn’t at the convention).

New Hampshire (NH)

After accepting the Constitution, it became the Law of the Land (9/13 states)

John Adams

2nd president, didn’t attend the Convention because he was in England

Alexander Hamilton

Secretary of Treasury

James Madison

Father of the Constitution

Thomas Jefferson

Future Secretary of State, was in France during the Convention.

John Hancock

Did not attend the Convention because he was sick

Great Compromise

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house.

3/5ths Compromise

An agreement worked out at the Constitutional Convention stating that only three-fifths of slaves in a state would count when determining its population for representation in the lower house of Congress

Upper House of Congress

• Senate (100 members)

• Equal representation - each state has two senators

• 30 years old

• Citizen for minimum of 9 years

• 6 year terms

Lower house

• House of Representatives (435 members)

• 25 years old

• 2 year terms

• Proportional representation

• Title of presiding officer - Speaker of the House

• Citizen for a minimum of 7 years

Number of original 13 states that had to ratify the Constitution for it to be official

9

Current number of Representatives from MA in the House

9