 Historical Reasons: The British government used a bicameral legislature since the 1300s and most colonies operated under a bicameral system.  Practical Reasons: It settled the dispute of the framers between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan and bicameralism is a reflection of Federalism.  Theoretical Reasons: The majority of framers wanted a bicameral legislature to act as a check and balance between the other two branches.

 Section 1- Congress is bicameral with a Senate as the upper house and the House of Representatives as the lower house.  The framers purposefully set up this bicameral system to vest the law making power into one branch of congress.  The separation of powers is supplemented by a system of checks and balances in which each branch restrains the actions of the other two.

 Section 2- House of Representatives ◦ Clause 1- Elections, ◦ Clause 2- Qualifications, ◦ Clause 3- Apportionment (number of representatives), ◦ Clause 4- Vacancies, ◦ Clause 5- Officers and impeachment. We will cover the House and Senate in another lesson  Section 3- Senate ◦ Clause 1- Composition, election, and term, ◦ Clause 2- Classification, ◦ Clause 3- qualification, ◦ Clause 4- presiding officer, ◦ Clause 5- other officers, ◦ Clause 6- impeachment trials, ◦ Clause 7- penalty on conviction

 Section 4- Elections and Meetings: ◦ Clause 1- Election of members- All members in the House of Representatives are to be elected on the same day every even number year. The day for elections is set at the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. ◦ Clause 2- Sessions- Congress must meet at least once a year with the opening of each new session set for January 20.

 Section 5- Legislative Proceedings: ◦ Clause 1- Any member who meets the qualifications as set in the Constitution must be admitted as a member when so elected. Also, a majority of members in the House and Senate constitutes a quorum. ◦ Clause 2- Each house of Congress sets its own rules and disciplines its own members ◦ Clause 3- Both houses must keep records and publish records of all meetings ◦ Clause 4- Neither house may suspend its work for more than 3 days without the approval of the other house. Both houses must meet at the same place

 Section 6- Compensation, Immunities, and Disabilities of Members: ◦ Clause 1- Each house sets their own salaries. Each member has immunity against arrest which is meant to prevent business from being interrupted and to allow all members to speak freely. ◦ Clause 2- No member may work for the executive or judicial branch at the same time as being a member of either house

 Section 7- Revenue Bill and President's Veto: ◦ Clause 1- All bills that raise money must originate in the House of Representatives but the Senate may amend any revenue bill ◦ Clause 2- Once both houses have a passed a bill it must be sent to the president who may a) sign the bill; b) veto the bill- it will then go back to house it originated from for an override vote; or c) allow the bill to become law without signing it. ◦ Clause 3- Congress can also pass joint resolutions which deal with unusual, temporary, or ceremonial matters. If the President signs a joint resolution it has the same force of a law

 Section 8- Powers of Congress: ◦ Clauses These 18 clauses deal with 27 of the expressed powers granted to Congress under the Constitution. We will cover the clauses in another lesson

 Section 9- Powers denied to Congress ◦ Clauses These clauses deal specifically with powers that are denied to Congress through the Constitution We will cover the clauses in another lesson.

 Section 10- Powers denied to the States ◦ Clause 1- No state may enter into any treaty or alliance with a foreign country. The power to conduct foreign relations lies with the National government. The states may not coin money. ◦ Clause 2- States cannot tax imports and neither the states nor Congress can tax exports ◦ Clause 3- A duty or tax can be laid on ships based on weight. Also, each state can maintain a militia but may not keep a standing army or navy.