Lesson 4 of 84 · Government Systems
⭐ 30 XP🏛️ Civic SquareCongress: The Senate and the House
In the United States, Congress is a bicameral legislature, meaning it has two separate chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
🎯 Your mission
Spot the fair part. Spot the unfair part.
⚡ The twist
Laws change. Power changes who gets to change them.
Mind = Blown
🤯 In ancient Athens, 'democracy' only included about 10% of the people.
Then & Now
🏛️ Knowing this makes you a better voter when you grow up.
In the United States, Congress is a bicameral legislature, meaning it has two separate chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is composed of 100 members, two from each state, serving six-year terms. In contrast, the House of Representatives has 435 members, with representation based on each state's population, serving two-year terms. This structure allows for both equal representation of states in the Senate and proportional representation in the House, ensuring that diverse interests are considered in the legislative process.
Key Facts
The Senate has 100 members, two from each state.
The House of Representatives has 435 members, based on state populations.
Senators serve six-year terms, while House members serve two-year terms.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2How many members are there in the Senate?
Why this still matters
Your school has rules. Where do they come from? Who decides them?
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Watch a town meeting or council clip on YouTube for 5 minutes.
For the dinner table
“What's one rule at our house you'd change if you could vote on it?”
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