Structure and Functions of U.S. Government

House of Representatives

435 members, based on population; created by the Virginia Plan

Senate

100 members, 2 per state; created by the New Jersey Plan

Supreme Court

9 justices; interprets the Constitution

Term Length - House

2 years

Term Length - Senate

6 years

Term Length - President

4 years, maximum of 2 terms (22nd Amendment)

Term Length - Supreme Court

Lifetime appointment

Electoral College

System used to elect the President; each state gets reps + senators

Census

Count of U.S. population every 10 years; used to assign House seats

Checks and Balances

Each branch can limit the powers of the others

Judicial Review

Courts can declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional

Marbury v. Madison

1803 case that established Judicial Review

Demographics of Supreme Court

Varies in age, race, gender, but mostly former judges/lawyers

Filibuster

Unlimited debate in the Senate to delay a vote

Gerrymandering

Drawing districts to favor a political party

Incumbent

Someone already in office running for reelection

Bureaucracy

System of government departments run by non-elected officials

Speaker of the House

Leader of the House of Representatives

22nd Amendment

Limits the president to two terms

Veto

President's power to reject a bill

Postal Service

Government-owned business created by Congress

Isolationism

U.S. foreign policy goal of staying out of foreign affairs

Economic Prosperity

A goal of U.S. foreign policy to help the economy

Bicameralism

Legislature with two chambers (House + Senate)

Chief Justice

Leader of the Supreme Court

435

Total members in the House of Representatives

100

Total members in the Senate

3

Number of electoral votes for Washington D.C.

Congress

The legislative branch (House + Senate)

President

Head of the executive branch

Supreme Court

Head of the judicial branch