Mr. Ostroff

Government / Economics

Last modified on: 18 November 2008

Congress and the Legislative Branch

Date	Lecture/Discussion Point	Assignment (complete for today)

12/2 or	The National Legislature I: The House of Representatives	AG pp. 262 – 265 and 267 - 273
12/3		Reading Quiz (10 pts)

12/4 or	The National Legislature II: The Senate	AG pp. 275 – 278 and 290 - 292
12/5		Reading Quiz (10 pts)

12/8 or	The Powers of Congress I: The Expressed Powers	AG pp. 294 – 300;
12/9		Reading Quiz (10 pts)

12/10 or	The Powers of Congress II: The Implied Powers	AG pp. 305 – 308 and p. 309;
2/11		Reading Quiz (10 pts)

12/12 or	The Powers of Congress III: The Non-legislative Powers	AG pp. 310 – 314 and p. 315;
2/15		Reading Quiz (10 pts)

12/16 or	Test Review / Current Events	MC Review Quiz (10 pts)
12/17

12/18 or	Test on AG Ch 10 and 11 + class notes and readings (100 pts)
12/19	aka ‘The YULE JEWEL’

1/6 or	Introduction to Constitutional Research Project in class…	NO HW… Happy Holidays J
1/7

1/8 or	Federalism in Brief	AG pp. 88-95;
1/9		Reading Quiz (10 pts)

Essential Questions

· What are the historical, practical, and theoretical reasons for bicameralism in Congress?

· Why do some critics suggest that the Senate is undemocratic?

· Why have special sessions lost their importance?

· How did Wesberry v. Sanders change the makeup of Congress?

· List at least THREE informal qualifications that voters look for in a candidate for Congress? Which is most important? EXPLAIN.

· Explain how House seats are reapportioned – both among states and within states – after each census.

· Why do politicians gerrymander districts?

· Why did the 17^th Amendment change the way Senators are chosen?

· Why did the Framers set each senator’s term at six years instead of two years?

· Explain the different roles that a member of Congress plays.

· Do members of Congress represent a cross-section of the American people? Why (or why not)?

· Identify and briefly explain the three types of Congressional power.

· On the subject of Congressional power, compare strict constructionists’ views to liberal (or loose) constructionists’ views.

· Explain the difference between a direct tax and an indirect tax. Give an example of each.

· Give THREE examples of how the Congress uses its commerce power.

· How does a copyright differ from a patent?

· Write a two-sentence summary of the central dispute in the case of McCullough v. Maryland. Summarize the outcome and its long-term consequences.

· What is the “Necessary and Proper Clause” commonly called? How/why did it get that name?

· Why might a group supporting a controversial issue press for a constitutional amendment rather than pressure Congress to pass a new law?

Key Players and Terms (who, what, where, when)

From Chapter 10	Designing Congr. Districts	From Chapter 11	Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
Congressional term	Gerrymandering	Expressed, Implied, Inherent	3 Limits on Commerce Power
Congressional session	Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)	Strict / Liberal Constructionism	Currency Power / Bankruptcy Power
Prorogue / Adjourn	17^th Amendment	Commerce Clause	Necessary and Proper Clause
Apportionment of Reps.	Continuous Body	4 Limitations on Taxing Power	McCullough v. Maryland (1819)
Reapportionment Act of 1929	Constituencies	Direct/ Indirect Tax	Impeachment Process
Trends in off-year elections		Debt / Deficit	Investigatory Power – 4 Reasons