Name ____________________________ Class _________________ Date ___________________
The Legislative Branch
Section 1
MAIN IDEA
Congress is divided into two houses, the Senate and the House of
Representatives, and its members have certain qualifications.
Key Terms
bicameral legislature
apportioned
a lawmaking body of two houses
distributed
practice of drawing district lines that favor a particular political
party, politician, or group of people
gerrymandering
immunity
legal protection
expulsion
state of having to give up one’s seat in Congress
censure
formal disapproval of a member’s actions
Section Summary
TWO HOUSES OF CONGRESS
The legislative branch of the national or federal
government, or Congress, makes laws for the
country. Congress is made up of two houses—the
House of Representatives and the Senate. This
bicameral legislature guarantees that large and
small states are represented fairly and assures that
each house can check the actions of the other.
There are 435 members in the House of
Representatives. The number of members
apportioned to each state is based on the state’s
population as determined by the census. Each state
is guaranteed at least one representative. In
addition, Washington, D.C.; Guam; American
Samoa; and the Virgin Islands each send one nonvoting delegate to the House. States are divided into
districts, and voters in each district elect a
representative. District boundaries are based on
population and gerrymandering. Elections are held
in even-numbered years, and representatives are
elected for two-year terms. If a representative dies
On a separate sheet of
paper, draw a diagram that
shows the two houses of
Congress. Under each
house, write its
characteristics.
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Guided Reading Workbook
Name ____________________________ Class _________________ Date ___________________
Section 1, continued
or resigns before the end of his or her term, the state
governor calls for a special election.
There are 100 members in the Senate—two from
each state. Elections for one-third of Senators are
held in even-numbered years for six-year terms. If a
senator dies or resigns before the end of his or her
term, the state governor may appoint a substitute
until the next election. There are no term limits for
the members of Congress.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
To be elected to the House of Representatives, a
candidate must meet these requirements: be 25
years of age, be a U.S. citizen for seven years, and
be a legal resident of the state of representation. To
be elected to the Senate, a candidate must meet
these requirements: be 30 years of age, be a U.S.
citizen for nine years, and be a legal resident of the
state of representation.
In exchange for service, the members of
Congress earn yearly salaries. They also receive
these benefits: local and federal offices, money to
pay for staffs and office supplies, free trips home,
free postage, and legal immunity while working.
Because the members of Congress are paid
government workers, they must follow codes of
conduct to show that they are honest. For example,
there are limits on outside income, and members
must make their finances public. If a member of
Congress does meet this required code of conduct,
he or she may be subject to expulsion or censure.
Why do you think there are
requirements to be elected
to Congress?
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Do you agree or disagree
that the members of
Congress should not have
term limits? Explain.
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CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
Critical Thinking: Apply You have been asked to
nominate someone you know to run for Congress.
Write a Letter to the Editor of a local newspaper in
which you nominate this person and explain his or
her qualifications for the House or Senate.
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Guided Reading Workbook
Name ____________________________ Class _________________ Date ___________________
Section 1, continued
DIRECTIONS For each item, provide an answer and an example or
explanation.
1. Does a bicameral legislature have one, two, or three houses?
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2. Which government action defines how seats in the House of Representatives are
apportioned—an election or the census?
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3. Would a congressional district created through gerrymandering have straight or
oddly shaped boundary lines?
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4. Which member of Congress might need immunity—one who is about to be
arrested or one who has a contagious disease?
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5. Which member of Congress might be subject to expulsion—one who accepts
bribes or one who does not work enough?
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6. Which member of Congress might be subject to censure—one who speaks too
much or one who neglects to pay taxes?
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Original content © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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Guided Reading Workbook