The Legislative branch
Description
Although the office of the President personifies American leadership, the Legislative branch was actually designed to hold at least as much power as the Executive, if not more. Many Founding Fathers envisioned Congress as the primary governing body, given its closeness, politically speaking, to the people. This program examines the origins, history, and activities of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Topics include the roots of today's legislative branch in the Continental Congress of the Revolutionary period; the reasons why a bicameral legislature was ultimately deemed necessary; the unique characteristics of both legislative chambers; the specific functions of Congress, from writing and passing bills to ratifying treaties to declaring war; and more.
Runtime
26 min
Series
Subjects
- Constitutional law (89)
- Democracy (126)
- Constitutional history (105)
- United States Constitution (38)
- Legislation (38)
Geography
Genre
Date of Publication
[2009], c2010
Database
Films on Demand
Direct Link
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