Welcome to the AP U.S. Gov Topic 2.1 article! This is all about the legislative branch (Congress), which is the law-making branch of the government, which means that it is responsible for creating federal laws.
Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government, which is bicameral with two chambers.
- The House of Representatives
- The Senate
Here’s a table comparing the two:
| Feature | House of Representatives (HR) | Senate |
|---|---|---|
| Representation | Based on the population per state. Example: California has a high population, so it has the most people in the HR | Equal (2 per state) |
| Revenue Bills | Can introduce tax (revenue) bills | Cannot originate revenue bills |
| Impeachment Power | Can impeach officials | Conducts the impeachment trial |
| Appointments (Presidential Confirmations) | None | Confirms presidential appointments |
| Treaties | None | Ratifies treaties |
| Number of Members | 435 | 100 |
| Terms | 2 Years | 6 Years |
| Age Requirement | 25+ Years Old | 30+ Years Old |
| Citizenship Requirement | 7+ Years | 9+ Years |
| State Requirement | Must live in the district/state | Must live in the state |
| Role | Closer to people | More stable long-term |
The main purpose of the bicameral system is to balance the representation between the population and the states. The House is designed to be highly responsive to public opinion in the short term and population-based representation. At the same time, the Senate provides stable long-term decision-making through equal representation.
The reason they were created this way was due to the Great Compromise, which was composed of two plans:
- The Virginia Plan (population-based representation)
- The New Jersey Plan (equal-representation)
This allows for a much more balanced and efficient system, which divides the power effectively between states and people.
Give yourself a pat on the back for making it this far!