Legislative Branch
The United States Constitution organized our national government into three independent branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
The legislative branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which collectively form the the United States Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives has 535 representatives who represent the people of the United States, based on how many live in each state. The U.S. Senate has two representatives from each state, representing every state equally.
Congress
- Congress.org
A nonpartisan news and information Web site devoted to encouraging civic participation. It provides information about public policy issues of the day and tips on effective advocacy so that citizens can make their voices heard. - Congress Daily
Find out what’s happening in Congress every day. - Youth Leadership Initiative
Access (with registration) to E-Congress, an online legislative simulation, lesson plans, and more. From the University of Virginia, Center for Politics.
U.S. House of Representatives
- U.S. House of Representatives
Find out what’s currently on House floor, vote information, laws, and more. - Kids in the House
Educational and entertaining information about the legislative branch of the United States government. For students of all age levels. - K-12 Teaching Resources - From Kids in the House Web site.
U.S. Senate
- U.S. Senate
Resources on senators, committees, legislation and records, art and history. - The Constitution - Original text and explanation.
Slide Shows, Videos, Radio Spots
- Browse American Government
Select The U.S. Constitution (narrated slide show, 5 min).
From HippoCampus. - The Role of the U.S. Senate
(video, 17 min)
From the Center for Civic Education. - The Role of the U.S. House of Representatives
(video, 20 min)
From the Center for Civic Education. - Learn About Congress
Lesson plans, interactive learning modules, and short radio spots on how Congress makes a difference. From the Center on Congress at Indiana University.
Letter Writing Etiquette
Related Links
- Civics Education- Learning about the rights and obligations of citizenship.
- Judicial Branch - The federal court system, which is made up of the United States Supreme Court and a network of courts below it.
- Executive Branch - Led by the President of the United States.
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RELATED LINKS
- Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools Report (2011)
Presents six proven practices that should be at the heart of every school's approach to civic learning. - NEA Tribute to Justice John Paul Stevens
Justice Stevens’ authored nearly 400 majority opinions, many of them protecting the rights of education employees and students. - Executive Branch
Led by the President of the United States. - Legislative Branch
Resources for Teaching About the Legislative Branch of the Federal Government - Judicial Branch
The system of courts that decides arguments about the meaning of laws, how they are applied, and whether they violate the Constitution.
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