Congress
Definition
The national legislative body of U.S., consisting of two houses: Senate and House of Representatives.
Analogy
Think of Congress like your school's student council but on a much larger scale. They make decisions (laws) that affect everyone in the school (country).
Related terms
Senate: One part of Congress, made up of two senators from each state regardless its size or population. It's like a class where every student gets equal say no matter how tall they are or how many friends they have.
House of Representatives: The other part of Congress, representatives are based on each state’s population. Picture this as if you're playing a game where teams get more players based on how many people they have supporting them.
Bicameral Legislature: A lawmaking body made up two chambers or parts - in US context, these are Senate and House Of Representatives. Imagine this as having two team captains instead one; both need to agree before any decision is final.
"Congress" appears in:
Study guides (4)
Practice Questions (18)
What was a result of Congress having no power to collect taxes under the Articles of Confederation?
How might history be different if Alexander Hamilton's financial plan had been rejected by Congress?
What contrasts exist between President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act and Congress' Dawes Act?
What plan proposed at the Constitutional Convention suggested representation in Congress should be based solely on population size?
What act by Congress established a process for territories to become states?
How might westward expansion differ if Congress rejected the Missouri Compromise in 1820?
Which court case did the Supreme Court rule that Congress had no power to ban slavery in U.S. territories, further dehumanizing African Americans?
What legislation passed by Congress in 1790 restricted citizenship to "any alien, being a free white person" only?
Which Supreme Court decision stated that Congress did not have the power to prohibit slavery in federal territories?
Which Supreme Court ruling declared that Congress could not prohibit slavery in federal territories, inciting political conflict?
Which policy did Congress pass in 1862 that encouraged westward expansion during the Civil War era?
Who championed civil rights for African Americans in Congress during this time period?
What legislation did Congress pass in 1867 to begin the process of Radical Reconstruction in the South?
What would be a likely scenario if Congress did not pass the Tenure of Office Act?
What legislation was passed by Congress in 1917 that instituted a literacy test for immigrants and banned immigration from most Asian countries?
How would labor union movements be affected if Congress had rejected the Sherman Anti-Trust Act?
Which act, passed by Congress during the Civil War, allowed any adult citizen to claim up to 160 acres of federal land?
Why did Congress pass a series of Neutrality Acts during the mid-1930s?
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