Unit III Lesson 1Intro to Congress

Essential Question:• What are the institutions and

policy-making processes of the national government?

• What are the links between the branches of the national government, political parties, interest groups, public opinion, the media, and state and local governments?

Unit I

Unit II

*Preamble

Article I - The Legislative Branch

Article II -- The Executive Branch

Article III -- The Judicial Branch

Article IV -- Concerning the States

Article V - Amendment Process

Article VI- Legal Status of the Constitution

Article VII – Signatures

*Amendments

Unit III

“Congress”- The legislative (lawmaking) branch of government (The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate)

Congress“Bi-Cameral”

Congress has the power to:

*Make national laws (really “bills”)

“Bills”

Laws

“Law”

*Govern Washington D.C. and other U.S. Territories

6 Million

U.S. Territories

Capital

Capital

*Raise/lower national taxes The Typical American

*Declare war

The Typical

American

“Commander-in-Chief”

Lastly…

*Congress can also do a whole bunch of other stuff!!!

• Establish naturalization rules (requirements a person must meet in order to become a U.S. Citizen)

• Establish post offices• Establish federal courts• Print and regulate the value of money• Issue patents and copyrights

And a whole lot of other things!

Article I Section 8

“The Congress shall have Power

to provide and maintain a Navy”

Article I Section 8

“Enumerated Powers”-

Powers given to Congress that are actually listed in the U.S. Constitution

(Sometimes called “Expressed Powers”)

“Enumerated Powers”

or “Expressed Powers”“Enumerated Powers”

or “Expressed Powers”“Enumerated Powers”

Congress also performs several non-lawmaking duties such as: *Oversight of federal agencies and the executive branch

(“Legislative Oversight”)

“Cabinet”

“Legislative Oversight”

Federal Judges

*Hold hearings to educate the public on important issues (Gun control, health care reform, etc.)

Amendment

*Propose Constitutional Amendments

2/3rds

2/3rds

3/4ths

Lastly and Most

Importantly…

*Work for their “constituents” (the people a member of Congress has been elected to represent); called “Casework”

Congressman Doug Collins

Senators Johnny Isakson

And Saxby Chambliss

“Constituents”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdgU08k-CTQ&feature=related

Which of the following types of powers are specifically granted to the national

government by the U.S. Constitution?

A.Expressed

B.Implied

C.Concurrent

D.Reserved

All of the following are powers granted to Congress in the U.S. Constitution EXCEPT?

A.To Lay and Collect Taxes

B.To Recognize Foreign Governments

C.To Declare War

D.To Raise and Support an Army

Which of the following is the primary responsibility of Congress?

A.Enforcing the administrative decisions of the bureaucracy

B.Selecting the head of the executive branch of government

C.Impeaching the President and corrupt federal judges

D.Lawmaking and policymaking

Which of the following actions would Congress most likely take in performing

“legislative oversight”?

A.Choose members of the President’s cabinetB.Withhold appropriations of money to federal agencies C.Influence the president to take action against another nationD.Appoint federal judges

Homework!!!Textbook Pages: 281-289

Graphic Novel Pages: 42-47