History grade 8 > Unit 7 > Flashcards

Unit 7 Flashcards

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1
Q

How many senators are there per state?

A

2

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2
Q

Census definition

A

Population Count

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3
Q

What fraction of senators are up for reelection at a time?

A

1/3

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4
Q

How many years is a term in the Senate?

A

6

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5
Q

How many years does a Representative serve?

A

2 years

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6
Q

Constituents

A

People represented

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7
Q

What is the definition of gerrymandering?

A

Redrawing an oddly shaped district to favor a certain political party

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8
Q

Who is the President of the Senate and what do they do?

A

The Vice President, votes in case of a tie

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9
Q

What is the chairperson of the Senate called?

A

President Pro Tempore (ceremonial position)

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10
Q

What is the leader of the House of Representatives called?

A

The Speaker of the House

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11
Q

What is the definition of caucus?

A

A closed meeting

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12
Q

What does the Speaker of the House do?

A

Steers legislation
In charge of floor debates
Influences most other house business

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13
Q

What are standing committees?

A

Permanent committees that continue their work from session to session.

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14
Q

What are select committees?

A

Committees created to do a special job for a limited time

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15
Q

What are joint committees?

A

Committees with members from both the House and the Senate
They focus on a particular issue and enhance the communication between the House and the Senate

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16
Q

What are conference committees?

A

A temporary committee which helps the House and Senate agree on the details of a proposed law

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17
Q

What is the definition of bicameral?

A

Two house/two part

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18
Q

What is the definition of district?

A

Areas that a state is divided into that elects a representative.

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19
Q

Who are our 2 senators?

A

Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren

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20
Q

Who is the Representative for our district?

A

Katherine Clark

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21
Q

What district do we live in?

A

5

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22
Q

What does the whip position do in the House?

A

Keep the speaker of the house on track

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23
Q

What are the requirements for being in the Senate? (3 things)

A

At least 30 years old
US citizen for at least 9 years
Live in the state you represent

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24
Q

What are the requirements for being in the House?

A

At least 25 years old
US citizen for at least 7 years
Live in the state you represent (not necessarily the district)

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25
What is the length of a congressional term?
2 yrs
26
How many voting members are there in the House?
435
27
How many senators are there?
100
28
What does a senator represent?
Their state
29
What fraction of senators are up for reelection at a time?
1/3
30
How is the Speaker of the House determined?
Chosen at a Caucus
31
What does the Speaker of the House do? 3 things
Steers legislation IN charge of floor debates Influences house business
32
What does steering legislation mean?
Control which topics are being discussed in the House
33
What does it mean to debate?
Two people sharing their opinions on a specific topic/issue
34
Who is the Presiding officer of the senate? (President of the Senate)
The vice president
35
When does the President of the Senate vote?
In case of a tie
36
What do you call the chairperson of the Senate?
The president pro tempore
37
What do the minority/majority leaders do? (3 things)
Speak for their parties Push bills along Sway votes
38
What do party whips do? (2 things)
Help the floor leaders Keep track of where party members stand on propsed legislation
39
Define standing committees
Committees that are ongoing
40
Define select committees
Committees that do a special job for a limited period
41
Define joint committees
Committees that focus on a particular issue, with members of both houses
42
Define conference committees
Committees that are temporary that help the House and Senate agree on a proposed law.
43
What is the minimum age for a senator to be?
30
44
Where must the senator live?
In the state that they represent
45
What are the minimum years of citizenship a senator must have?
9
46
What is the minimum age for a representative to be?
25
47
Where must the representative live?
In their state
48
What are the minimum years of citizenship a representative must have?
7
49
Why would the age to be a senator be higher than a representative?
Senators have more power and need to be mature enough to handle issues, and have a longer term
50
What is the salary for a member of congress?
174,000
51
Define franking privilege
Sending official mail without paying postage
52
Define lobbyists
People who are paid to convince politicians to sway their opinions
53
Define interns
People who are paid very little to shadow a politician, but are payed in experience
54
What are the three jobs of members of congress?
Lawmaking Casework Helping the district/state
55
Define casework
Help requested from a district or a state
56
Define pork barrel projects
Government projects or grants that benefit the home state
57
How was the "Big Dig Project" an example of a Pork Barrel project?
It was only impacting the city of Boston
58
Define expressed powers
Powers dedicated to congress that are clearly listed
59
Define implied powers
Powers that congress has that are not listed in the constitution
60
What is the elastic clause?
It allows congress to stretch its powers to meet new needs
61
What is meant by non legislative powers?
Powers that do not relate to making laws
62
What can the president do to a bill passed by Congress to prevent it from becoming a law?
Veto it
63
If the Supreme Court declares a law passed by Congress to not be permitted by the Constitution, this means the law is declared what?
Unconstitutional
64
Both houses of Congress can override a president’s veto with a what fraction vote?
2/3
65
What do you call the appointments of the advisers to the President that Congress confirms?
The Cabinet
66
Who creates the lower federal courts for the judicial branch?
Congress
67
Define private bills
Bills that concern certain individuals or places
68
Define public bills
Bills that apply to the entire nation and involve general matters
69
Define resolutions
Formal statements expressing lawmaker's opinions
70
Define joint resolutions
71
What three things do joint resolutions do?
72
How does a bill start?
An idea
73
Who can only introduce a bill to Congress?
A congressman
74
Where is a bill sent?
The appropriate standing committee
75
Who decides which bill gets ignored and which gets studied?
Committee chairperson
76
Who researches and reports on the bill?
Subcomittees
77
What are the 5 actions standing committees can take?
78
When approved bills go before the full House or Senate, floor debates begin. What does that mean?
Congress members debate back and forth on the proposed issue
79
What do the Congress members argue about in floor debates?
The proposed issue
80
Define amendments
Changes made to a bill
81
The House accepts only amendments relevant to the bill. What does that mean?
they only accept related changes
82
Define riders
Extra amendments tacked onto the bill
83
The House puts time limits on discussions. Why do you think the House does this?
Because there are so many members
84
Define filibuster
Talking a bill to death
85
How can a filibuster get stopped?
2/3 vote
86
When a filibuster is stopped, members can then only speak for how long?
1 hour
87
What does it take to pass a bill so it can be sent to the other house?
88
What happens if either the House or the Senate reject a bill?
It dies
89
The Senate and the House must pass a bill in what kind of form before it becomes a law?
Equal
90
If either house makes changes in a bill after receiving it from the other house, what kind of committee is formed?
Conference
91
Once they have a revised bill, the House and Senate must either take what two actions?
Send to president or kill
92
Once a bill is approved by both houses of Congress, where does it go?
93
Once a president receives a bill, what three actions can the president take?
Veto Do nothing for 10 days pocket veto
94
Define veto.
Prevent a bill from becoming a law
95
If a bill is vetoed, how can Congress still pass the bill?
majority vote
96
If the President does nothing for 10 days, a bill becomes a law if Congress is in __.
Session
97
If the President does nothing for 10 days, a bill dies if Congress had __.
Adjurned
98
Define pocket veto.
History grade 8
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