Vocabulary

A. Quorum

B. Filibuster

C. Legislative Oversight

D. Gerrymander

E. Private Bill

F. House Ways & Means

Committee

G. To Make Laws.

H. Line-item Veto.

I. Perjury

J. Public Bill

K. Martial Law Declared

L. Rider

Name: ___________________ Period: _____

Unit 2 Test – The Legislative Branch

Matching (1 Point Each)

____ 1. Would cancel part of a bill.

____ 2. The main task of Congress

____ 3. Deals with general matters and applies to the entire nation.

____ 4. A witness lying under oath

____ 5. To draw a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage in an

election

____ 6. The minimum number of members who must be present to

allow official action to occur.

____ 7. Allows Congress to check on how the executive branch is

administering the law.

____ 8. Deals with individual people or places

____ 9. A method of defeating a bill by talking

____ 10. Where most work on tax laws takes place.

____ 11. A provision included in a bill about a subject other than the one

covered in the bill.

____ 12. Used in times of crisis

Fill In The Blanks (1 Point Per Blank)

In the House of Representatives the leader is called the ______________________ and he/she is always a

member of the _______________ party. In the Senate the leader is called the ________________ and he/she is

the nation’s ________________. In both the House and the Senate the two political parties are lead by

individuals called majority/minority ______________ who are assisted by individuals called majority/minority

_____________.

House of Representatives Senate

Minimum Age

Years A Citizen

Residency

Length of Term

Number Per State

Multiple Choice (1 Point Each)

Write the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____ 1. Implied congressional powers fall under the

A. Necessary and Proper Clause B. Restraint Clause

C. Elastic Clause D. A & C

____ 2. The process of setting up new congressional districts after reapportionment is called

A. Redrafting B. Gerrymandering

C. Redistricting D. A quorum

____ 3. Who are in the Majority in Congress right now?

A. Republicans & Men B. Democrats & Women

C. Democrats & Men D. Republicans & Women

____ 4. This protects against unlawful imprisonment by forcing the government to allow

a person accused of a crime a crime to go to court.

A. Writ of habeas corpus B. Bills of attainder

C. Ex post facto laws D. Non timebo mala clause

____ 5. Special-interest groups that raise money to help elect lawmakers are called

A. Policymakers B. PAKs

C. PACs D. Political Election Committees

____ 6. Which of these is not a type of Congressional Committee?

A. Task Committee B. Select Committee

C. Standing Committee D. Joint Committee

____ 7. This group tends to favor social-welfare programs.

A. PACs B. Republicans

C. Caseworkers D. Democrats

____ 8. A witness who is guilty of a crime but testifies against another criminal can receive

A. Impoundment B. Impeachment

C. Immunity D. Inanity

____ 9. Our state’s representatives are

A. House = Nancy Pelosi Senate = Kamala Harris & Misha Collins

B. House = Salud Carbajal Senate = Kamala Harris & Dianne

Feinstein

C. House = Kamala Harris Senate = Will Graham & Dianne

Feinstein

D. House = Salud Carbajal Senate = Nancy Pelosi & Peter Wingfield

____ 10. This group tends to vote in favor of business.

A. Policymakers B. Republicans

C. Democrats D. Caseworkers

Problem Solving (8 Points)

It’s time for redistricting and your state’s Republican Governor has given you the task of drawing up those

districts. Your area has 50 precincts that need to be divided up into 5 districts. Divide up the “state” below in a

fair way. In the space beside the “state” explain why the districts you drew are fair.

D D D D D D D D D D

D D D D D D D D D D

D D D D D D D D D D

R R R R R R R R R R

R R R R R R R R R R

You hand in your proposed districts only to get it thrown back in your face. “This won’t help my party!” He

yells. “Find a way for my party to win!” Divide up the “state” below so that the Republican party is more likely

to win. In the space beside the “state” explain how the districts you drew help the Republican party win the

election.

D D D D D D D D D D

D D D D D D D D D D

D D D D D D D D D D

R R R R R R R R R R

R R R R R R R R R R

Short Answer (5 Points Each)

On the back of this page or on a separate sheet of paper answer at least two of the following

questions. Answers should be at last one paragraph / three sentences.

1. How well do you think members of Congress represent the people who have delegated legal authority to

them?

2. Why does the majority party often get the credit or blame for everything that Congress does?

3. Why have committees become the power centers in Congress?

4. Explain two ways that a member of Congress could help one of their constituents?

5. Why does it take so long for Congress to pass legislation?

Answer Key

Matching

1. H 2. G 3. J 4. I 5. D 6. A 7. C 8. E 9. B

10. F 11. L 12. K

Fill In The Blanks

1. Speaker of the House

2. Majority

3. President

4. Vice President

5. Leaders

6. Whips

House of

Representatives

Senate

Minimum Age 25 30

Years A Citizen 7 9

Residency State that elected them

Length of Term 2 6

Number Per

State Based on Population 2

Multiple Choice

1. D

2. C

3. A

4. A

5. C

6. A

7. D

8. C

9. B

10. B