Social Studies50 views·Updated Jun 8, 2026·2 pages

Understanding the Legislative Branch: The U.S. Congress

Kaylin Sheffer@kaylinshef

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The United States Congress forms the legislative branch of our...

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# LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
the united states congress

10/19/22

- legislative: makes the laws
- Executive: carry out the laws
- Judicial: judge t

The United States Congress: Structure and Function

Ever wondered who actually makes the laws in America? That's the job of the legislative branch, specifically Congress. The U.S. government divides power among three branches: legislative (makes laws), executive (carries out laws), and judicial (interprets laws).

Congress operates in two-year "terms," with each calendar year being one "session." This organized timing helps keep government functioning on a regular schedule. The two houses of Congress have different term lengths - Representatives serve for 2 years, while Senators serve for 6 years with staggered elections $only 1/3 of senators are up for election every two years$ .

Our bicameral $two-house$ legislature wasn't created by accident. It resulted from the Connecticut Compromise that balanced the interests of large and small states. The House represents population (favoring large states), while the Senate gives equal representation to all states (two senators each). This system also creates a practical check and balance between the houses.

💡 The Senate is often called the "upper house" with its 100 members (2 per state). To serve, you must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for 9+ years, and a resident of your state.

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The House of Representatives and District Politics

The House of Representatives has 435 members distributed based on state populations. To serve in the House, you need to be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for 7+ years, and a resident of your state. Representatives serve shorter terms (2 years) than senators, making them more directly accountable to voters.

Every 10 years, the national census counts the population, triggering reapportionment - the process of redistributing House seats based on population changes. States that gain population may gain representatives, while states losing population might lose seats.

During redistricting, some politicians engage in gerrymandering - deliberately drawing district boundaries to favor their party. They use two main strategies: "packing" (concentrating opposition voters in few districts) or "cracking" (spreading opposition voters thinly across many districts).

⚠️ Gerrymandering creates more extreme representatives because candidates focus on winning primaries rather than appealing to moderate voters. This pushes politicians away from compromise and toward partisan extremes, making it harder for Congress to function effectively.

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Social Studies50 views·Updated Jun 8, 2026·2 pages

Understanding the Legislative Branch: The U.S. Congress

Kaylin Sheffer@kaylinshef

Add to Google sources

The United States Congress forms the legislative branch of our government, responsible for making laws. This bicameral (two-house) legislature consists of the Senate and House of Representatives, each with different qualifications, terms, and representation systems designed to balance power between...

of 2

The United States Congress: Structure and Function

💡 The Senate is often called the "upper house" with its 100 members (2 per state). To serve, you must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for 9+ years, and a resident of your state.

of 2

The House of Representatives and District Politics

⚠️ Gerrymandering creates more extreme representatives because candidates focus on winning primaries rather than appealing to moderate voters. This pushes politicians away from compromise and toward partisan extremes, making it harder for Congress to function effectively.