The Legislative Branch: The Constitution grants Congress—our nation’s legislative branch—the power to make laws. The legislative branch is outlined in Article I of the Constitution. The Constitution divides Congress into two houses—the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The House of Representatives is composed of representatives proportionate to each state’s population. At the same time, the Senate is organized under the principle of equal state representation—with each state, regardless of its population, receiving two Senators.
| Article I: The Legislative Branch with Gary Lawson All Ages Session |
Article I: Congress - The Legislative Branch |
Article I: Congress - The Legislative Branch |
Module 7: The Legislative Branch: How Congress Works
In this Fun Friday Session, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, joins Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen to explore Article I of the Constitution, which defines the powers of Congress.
Joanne Freeman, Norm Ornstein and Ed Ayers reflect on how Congress has functioned in times of instability and change.
In a special event at Columbia University, David Pozen of Columbia and Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz of Georgetown University discuss how to restore the separation of powers.
Experts discuss how the potential end of the filibuster and other reforms might lead to different outcomes.
Shedding light on the history, constitutionality, and calls for reform of the filibuster.
Read the Interpretations:
Read the Interpretations:
Explore key historical documents that inspired the Framers of the Constitution and each amendment during the drafting process, the early drafts and major proposals behind each provision, and discover how the drafters deliberated, agreed and disagreed, on the path to compromise and the final text.
Explore our new 15-unit core curriculum with educational videos, primary texts, and more.
Search and browse videos, podcasts, and blog posts on constitutional topics.
Discover primary texts and historical documents that span American history and have shaped the American constitutional tradition.
