What is the main function of any legislative branch?
To Make Laws
What is the name of the national legislative branch?
Congress
How is Congress structured?
Structured as a bicameral legislature
What are the two houses of Congress?
The Senate and The House of Representatives
What is a census?
A population count conducted by the national government every 10 years
A state’s population determines a state’s representation in the ____.
House of Representatives
____ of the house happens every 10 years—meaning some states gain/lose representatives if their populations changed drastically since the last census.
Reapportionment
What is Gerrymandering?
The practice of dividing or arranging electoral districts in a way that favors one political party over another
How many senators does each state have?
2
How long do senators of each state serve?
6 Years
What are expressed powers?
Powers that are explicitly stated in the Constitution
What are examples of expressed powers?
Declaring War
Collect Taxes
Borrow Money
What are implied powers?
Powers that are not directly stated in the Constitution
What are examples of implied powers?
Creating a National Bank
Regulate Immigration
Punish Tax Evasion
What does the necessary and proper clause allow Congress to do?
Make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into education
What is an example of the necessary and proper clause?
Creating a National Bank
What needs to happen for a bill to become a law?
Both chambers of Congress must pass the same bill
The President can _____ a bill from becoming a law.
veto
What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
Removed discriminating laws that prevent people from voting in elections
What is the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
Prevents schools & public places from discriminating based on race, gender, and ethnicity
What does Title IX require?
Protection from discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance
What is Affirmative Action?
Policies that provide assistance to groups of people who have historically faced discrimination in admittance to universities or receiving employment
Fiscal Policy involves the federal government’s approach to ____
Borrowing, Taxation, & Spending
What are the two areas of consideration that Congress and the President evaluate when proposing the federal budget?
Mandatory & Discretionary Spending
What is the GDP?
Gross Domestic Product, which is the sum of all goods and services produced in a country in a year
What is the CPI?
Consumer Price Index, which is an index that measures the monthly change in prices paid by U.S. consumers
What is Redistricting?
Redrawing of the boundaries of the districts within each state based on census results
What is the Elastic Cause?
Necessary and Proper Clause
What are the specific qualifications for Congressional membership?
Representatives must be:
- 25 years old
- Citizens of the United States for at least 7 years
- Legal residents of the state that represents them
- Traditionally, live in the district they represent
What is Monetary Policy?
A set of actions to control a nation's overall money supply and achieve economic growth
What is the MD and Prince George’s County Government structure?
Maryland: Bicameral, Lower - House of delegates Upper - Senate
County - County Council - 11 people